A melancholy paradice
by shadowcoon256
Summary: The gang have settled down living a normal life, until years later Lily begins to have strange dreams. Now it's up to both her and several others to save the everyone at the same time dealing with a strange new enemy as well as the troubles of becoming teens. Sly Cooper characters are own by Sucker punch and Sanzaru inc, Ghost and her family friend our my own characters
1. Kid troubles

**It has been twelfth years since the gang arrived in the dimension that they now call home. With some differences changing them the gang have adjusted to there new life. But something is lurking in the shadows that the team have never experienced before. But the silence of the night was broken by a certain girl who will find her life will change forever in the coming days. **

* * *

"ARRRRRRRR!" Lily quickly got up clutching her bed sheet, sweating while panting heavily, the door then quickly opened with her mother walking though. "Lily what's up?!" The raccoon simply rubbed her eyes. "I just had a nightmare is all." The leopard held her humming a soft tone. "Mum I'm not four anymore, I can go to sleep without that song."

"I know but can't blame me for doing it. You always loved that song." Lily pulled the sheets over her head. "That was when I was a baby, but I'm twelfth now." Rivia then walked to the door shaking her head. "Well try and get some sleep tonight, you keep waking both me and your father up."

"I'm sorry I should be ok now." Rivia then flicked the light off and closed the door, but Lily remand awake wondering what the dream was about. _"It was like I was literally alive in that dream, that's not possible is it?" _She simple sighed and went back to sleep.

**Lily's dream**

The raccoon eyes opened wide seeing she was at her school. "Weird I never have dreams about this place. Well only when I didn't finish the homework or anything." She walked to the doors, pushing them open to see the building packed with kids. "Wonder if, yes she is here Beth, Beth!" The raccoon then ran inside to join her cousin who was talking to a bulldog and a panther. "Hey Lil what's going on?"

"I could ask the same isn't it Sunday today?" Bethany nodded. "Why are we here then?"

"Because Lucem said so." Lily gave a strange glance at the distant seeing a strange white light around the corner. "Err right, umm question who's Lucem?" The bulldog, panther, and raccoon began laughing. "We better get moving see ya later Beth." The two left the raccoons to it while they walked off in the opposite direction. "Lucem is the one who gave us all of this. What didn't your mother tell you?" Lily gave a funny look at Bethany. "Why would she know this least of all why would she hide it?"

"Maybe it's to protect you from yourself."

"What, what's that surpose to mean?" Bethany then walked off leaving Lily scream down the hallway. "Hey I'm not done talking with you yet!" She turned around to Lily and as she turned Lily's face turned from angry to shock and horrified seeing Bethany's eyes change from hazel brown to dark red. "Well I'm done with you." The raccoon then brushed her hand in the air distorting the dream into a dark world. "What? Where am I, what is this place?"

_"Do not worry I'll protect you." _Lily turned to see a small light moving slowly towards her, she then moved backwards away. "Stay away from me! I'm warning you." As it got closer and closer Lily opened her eyes and awoke in her bed.

* * *

**Inside Rivia's house**

The raccoon rubbed her eyes and took a good look around the room. "Why am I having these dreams they been going on for how many months now. I guess it's just a thing I'm gonna have to deal with." Lily got out of the bed and quickly got dressed in her typical jeans, simple blue t-shirt and a green jacket. After changing she walked down the stairs and into the kitchen, pulling up a chair at the table. Rivia then placed some toast in front of her. "Thanks mum."

"Don't mention it oh don't forget your going over Sly's today."

"Why's that?" She picked up the toast taking little bits out of it." Your school project with both Bethany and Trevor remember?" The raccoon then swallowed the toast and nodded. "Yeah I remember now, it was that stupid assignment to build a model of a famous building and Trevor had to pick the hardest to "impress" some girls in the class." The leopard just chuckled. "Well I must say he's got some ego on him, I have no idea where he get's that from." Lily then got up and walked out to the next room seeing her father there. "Hey dad what's going on?" The raccoon just turned around and looked back to the TV. "Just planning the next heist, Sly and Bentley told me to look out for some museum that's going to be shown on the news." The raccoon then walked up to her father holding onto his arm. "What do you want?"

"Nothing get's past you I see. Can I come with you?" Malcolm shook his head. "Defiantly not this isn't a casual get in a steal one thing, we're stealing a valuable item that's being held on display, surrounded by guards and other secretary."

"But I can help! I got some skills to you know!" Rivia walked in grabbing Lily's shoulder. "You heard your father it's too dangerous, perhaps next time." Lily mood then change from a happy to depressed she then walked to the door, opening it and walked outside. "Where are you going!?"

"I'm going to uncle Sly's house, might as well since there's nothing to do here!"

**Streets of Paris**

The raccoon walked looking down at the ground, it wasn't the first time Malcolm said no to her. She began to remember the times she asked and was refused over and over again.

_"Daddy can I come to uncle Sly's to?" _

_"No sweetheart." Lily's eyes began to water. "But I have a better job for you." The raccoon bent to the floor and looked at the young raccoon. "I want you to look after your mother while we're gone, can you do that?" Lily nodded with delight and hugged him. "Come back safely." Malcolm chuckled softly and then got up leaving both wife and child alone. _

"Why doesn't he ever take me? Sure I was young back then but I'm twelfth now, I can look out for myself and thanks too both aunt Carm, uncle Sly, and uncle Murry I'm good when it comes to fighting." She then began to punch the air and then turned around hitting the air but accidently punching someone in the process. "Oh god I'm so sorry!" Once she ran over to whoever it was she began to breath a sigh of relive. "Oh good it's only you Trevor."

"Ow what's your problem?" Lily then got the tiger to his feet, he quickly brushed himself off. "It's dad again he's going of on another heist and he wont take me."

"And your surprised."

"What's that suppose to mean!?" Trevor walked with the raccoon next to him. "Every time you do the same thing over and over again. Besides those heist aren't nearly as good as the ones I hear from Beth." Lily gave a confused expression to her cousin. "Wait she tells you about Sly's heists but doesn't tell me?"

"Well you do over react to things." Lily just walked along the path with the tiger sighing. "This is what I'm talking about. Wait for me!"

The two finally made it to Sly's house, Lily knocked on the door waiting for a few minutes until Carmelita opened it. "Hey you two how's it going?"

"Ok auntie Carm is Beth in?" The fox turned shouting in the house. "BETHANY LILY AND TREVOR ARE HERE! Why don't you come inside." Carmelita then walked inside with the two following inside the house.

**Inside Sly's house**

Even though both Lily and Trevor have been inside the house many times they could never get over the amount of stuff littered over the walls. "Are these all the stuff that uncle Sly steals?" The fox crossed her arms and turned to her. "Well technically he's not stealing he's taking this stuff from gangs and thugs who intended to sell this stuff off to underground gangs."

"And that doesn't count as stealing?" Carmelita looked down to Trevor. "Sly brings this stuff home, then when I go to work I deliver it back saying I tracked down whoever stole it. Let's just say Sly's using his skills for good and not for any selfish reasons on occasion of course."

"Well, well it seems we have guests." Lily turned with a smile. "Uncle Sly!" She ran to the raccoon who picked her up, raising her in the air. "How's my favourite niece doing."

"estoy bien tío Sly." (I'm well uncle Sly.) The older raccoon put her down with a cocky grin. "When did you start to learn Spanish?" Lily giggled whilst giving an even cockier smile. "Mamá me enseñó un poco después de que ella me enseñó a hablar francés." (Mum taught me a little after she taught me to speak French.) He laugh while shaking his head. "That Rivia has to do things the hard way for everyone." The sound of footsteps turned everyone's attention behind them seeing Bethany. "Hey you guys why are you here so early?" Lily shrugged. "Cause why not. I want to talk to you upstairs about something." She nodded and the girls ran upstairs followed by the tiger.

* * *

**Bethany's room**

The three kids sat in different places. Bethany sat on her bed, Lily sat on a chair nearby, while Trevor sat on the floor. "So whatch wana talk about?"

"You talked to Trevor about your dads heists but not me." Bethany bit her lip knowing where this was going. "I didn't say anything cause I knew you'd get upset and besides there not all as great as you think."

"And how would you know anyway?" The raccoon gulped realising she's put herself in the frying pan. "Well I umm I go along sometimes." Both Bethany and Trevor could see the anger pouring from the raccoon both fearing for what might happen. "Look Lily calm down, there's no point getting angry over this." A single tear then rolled down her face with the two gazing. "Your right but, but it's." She placed her head in her hands as she cried. "It's just not fair!" Bethany and Trevor felt extremely awkward both looking at each other and whispering "Go over and hug her."

"What!? You do it. Your her cousin Beth."

"So are you, you idiot!" The two turned to see she recovered and wiped away both tears and snot from her face. "I just wished I could go on a heist or something. I want the excitement that uncle Sly, uncle Bentley, and uncle Murray had when they where young." The young raccoon pondered and clicked her fingers. "I got it let do our own little things."

"Uh what do you mean "little things?" Bethany got off the bed. "You know. Our own little heists, just us three after all we're from a family of thieves." Upon saying that the glint came back to Lily's eye and she jumped up. "Yeah let's do it. Oh and let's not tell anyone about this especially our parents."

"Agreed but first things first we need a base, equipment, and the most important of all a place to steal from. Any suggestions it has to be something easy but not to easy." The two began to ponder until Trevor got up. "What about the school?"

"What, why the school of all places?"

"Think about it, we're there all the time on week days, we know the school inside and out, and the principal must have something that's worth stealing right?" Lily realised why he wanted to steal from the school. "He took your videogame didn't he?"

"Hey he stole it from me and I'm pretty sure the Cooper family motto states you steal from those who deserve it right?"

"But he's just doing his job Trevor there's nothing wrong with that." The tiger gave a grin. "Yeah but think about it. Didn't he take your notebook Beth." She remembered. She was sitting peacefully writing until the bear came along accusing her of not revising her work and "confiscated" her notebook. The raccoon then stomped her foot on the floor. "Your right it's our job as Coopers to steal from those who deserve to be stolen from." Beth put her hand in the middle followed by Lily then Trevor. "Ok tomorrow will discuses the plan but first we need to deal with that stupid assignment." The two raccoon glared at the tiger who rubbed his neck. "Sorry but the two girls next to me in class where giving me a look and well you know."

"So you though you'd impress them by making a model of the taj mahal out of tooth picks!"

"Well I." Lily stepped forward dumping down a bunch of paper and glue. "Uh why did you bring all of this?"

"I quickly talked to the teacher and convinced him to switch it from tooth picks too paper machete." Bethany turned to Trevor. "You got lucky Trev. If Lily didn't tell me that I'd knock you down so hard."

"Well I didn't realise this." The two looked at the tiger who began to grin. "I didn't know you had a crush on me Beth, can't blame you thou." The raccoon then punched the cat to the ground. "Please the time I have a crush on you is when the world ends and that's not happening anytime soon." Trevor got up with a smile. "Can't blame me for trying."

"Can you two work together for now and do this we have a lot of work too do.

* * *

**Inside the school**

The three carefully carried the small model though the halls with people walking past. As they kept walking Lily was then pushed over from behind causing the other two too fall as well. She then looked over seeing the model had been broken with the raccoon gritting her teeth. "Who the hell did that?" She turned around seeing a panda standing from behind. "Well, well look who it is girls the little bitch who thinks she's everything."

"Look who's talking miss "macho lip hair." The panda then jumped on Lily in anger punching her repeatedly on the floor. "I'll teach you to call me that!" As she pulled her arm up Bethany grabbed her hand and pulled the panda off. "Get the hell away from her Kasey." She then stepped forward. "Or what your gonna step up for this piece off shit. Typical always need help when you can't do anything for yourself." Lily got up off the floor and grabbed the raccoons shoulder. "Tag out, let me handle this myself."

"But." The raccoon pulled her back and wiped off the blood from her nose. "Don't worry it's just the same typical manly pre-teen girl who we all clearly think she's got the hot's for me." Kasey then charged at her but Lily stepped aside, quickly jumped and kicked her from behind sending her flying. "And just like everyday you always get knocked to the floor with the same kick. I'd though you'd learn by now."

"I did." Lily turned seeing the panda quickly grabbed her leg, pulling her to the ground. "So much for that kick Lily." The panda had the raccoon in a head lock but she just smiled. "Why are you so happy?"

"Because you left one place wide open." She then punched the pandas gut repeatedly until the arm around her neck was released. "Not so smart Kasey but then when it's you I don't except much." Kasey then got up from the ground with the help of two others. One female Alsatian whose wearied a elegant white top with a nice white trousers. She had her hair covered one side of her face leaving the other side visible. The other was a female peacock who wore mostly tarred cloths ranging from tarred jeans too a tarred jacket with a black top. Her hair was spike up with one side green and the other blue. "I'll get you some day Cooper trust me." The three then ran off with the raccoon taking some deep breaths. _"When will that girl ever learn?" _

"Lily you ok?" Both Bethany and Trevor walked to her making sure she was ok. "Don't worry about me can't say the same for that though." They all looked down at broken paper machete model and sighed. "What now?"

"We show him." The two turned to Lily. "What! But why."

"It beats telling him. "Hey Mr Hilburn sorry too tell you this but we left our project at home. Please can we go get it." Trevor nodded. "I see your point but he's gonna be pissed when he sees this."

"Hey Lily you got glue right?"

"Yeah. Oh I see will have it back to normal-well almost normal in no time." The two raccoons and the tiger quickly repaired whatever they could and rush quickly to the class."

The three quickly made it to their desks with the hedgehog looking though his paperwork. He then got up, taking a board pen and began writing on the white board. "Ok class today will be doing geography and I want everyone of you to come up in your teams to explain what your model is and where the model comes from. I also would like you to explain some of the history behind the building as well." Lily, Bethany, and Trevor gulped after hearing that. "Umm did anyone revise about India and the history of the Taj mahal by any chance?" Both Bethany and Trevor shook their heads with Lily face palming herself. "Ok why don't we start of with Lily's group." The three got up and braced themselves, quickly walking to the front of the class. "Ok so what is... that?" The three turned to the slightly broken model of the Taj mahal. "Uh well it's the Taj mahal it a palace in India."

"Ok but what can you tell me about it and the area around it?" Lily thought really quickly with only one thing in her head. "Well miss Cooper?" The pressure built up until she came out with something. "Well it's located in India and it's really, really... pretty looking." Mr Hilburn was not impressed and pointed to the threes desks. "I see you haven't studied. Detention after school for each of you."

"WHAT?" Lily then marched to her seat and crossed her arms in anger. _"Stupid Hedgehog I like to see him get pressured into something and see him have to stand in front of everyone and explain."_

"Hey Lily that might actually help." She turned still a little pissed from what just happened. "If we're in detention we can take advantage and sneak out and go to the principals office." Lily nodded and turned to the front. _"It better be worth it." _

**Classroom after-school**

The three sat quietly apart looking at the clock to get to four o'clock. Lily turned to see the hedgehog sitting gazing at the three which gave the raccoon an idea. "I need the bathroom."

"Fine but if your gone for more then a few minutes then you'll get detention tomorrow understand?" She nodded while walking out the door _"Wow that was easy I'd thought he'd put up more of an argument, oh well."_ She quickly made her way to the principals office and quickly pulled out her phone which the teachers didn't see hidden in her leg pocket, which was hidden by her jeans. "Leg pockets never leave home without them." She quickly took photos of the door and outside the corridor then quickly knocked on the door.

"Who is it?"

"I have a message for you sir." Lily heard movement from the room as the door opened revealing the bear. "Yes miss Cooper?" Lily quickly thought of a excuse for the bear to leave his room. "Well how do I put it. The janitor asked me to well he needs your approval on something personal." The bears eyebrow raised. "On what exactly?"

"He asked me not to say anything he'd raver you go to him." The principal sighed. "Ok fine where is he?" Lily pointed down the hall. "He's in the cafeteria cleaning the back." The bear quickly walked down the hall leaving Lily only seconds to take pictures of the room but something caught her eye on his desk. "Well hello there. A letter aggressed to a Mr Alan Liam Artair. You are defiantly going on this phone." She quickly took a snap shoot and did some last minute checks but as she was about to leave she looked back to the letter seeing something interesting. "Hey this has uncle Sly's name on it." She took a quick look and then quickly took some more photos before putting the letter down and running out, getting back to the classroom.

Lily walked into the room with Hilburn giving a angry glare. "You where gone for quart of an hour, I'm fed up with this Lily tomorrow your going to be put into isolation with nothing but bookwork." Lily just tightened her fist she knew what she was about to do was risky but worth it in the end. "Fine sir can we go now?" The hedgehog looked up at the clock and nodded. "Fine you can go a few minutes early but I expect you here early tomorrow morning got it!"

"Yes sir." The three ran out of the class with Lily punching Trevor's arm. "Ow what was that for?"

"You'd had to pick the school the one place I'd waste my live just to get the things we need." The raccoon pulled out her phone showing the two what she got. "Great that's stage one but still we need to discuses other stuff. But not here let's talk tomorrow."

"You mean you and Trevor I'll be in isolation alone with at least something that will most likely lead to the principals office." Bethany nodded. "Ok while your in isolation me and Trev will gaver more details and stuff. If you can try to fine anything that may get you out off there like a vent or well anything."

"You'd think they'd put vents in the room partially in a small section?"

"Probably not but whose to say it's not above you or bellow. If I remember the sections have a small opening under the walls you should be able to fit under them." The three then walked to the door and exited the school. "Cool everything's set for now until tomorrow then." The three then separated going home but someone came out of the school behind them. "What are you planning Lily?"

* * *

**Rivia's house**

"I'm home!" The raccoon walked into the house seeing her mother first. "How was school?"

"I'm pretty sure you should know by now. They always call ahead." To which the leopard looked down at the girl. "Why do you get into so much trouble Lil you never was like this when you where younger." But the raccoon just moved aside walking around her. "I'm growing up mum you just have to get use to it." Rivia gave a sad glance. _"That's what I'm afraid of." _

"Hey hon what's wrong?" The leopard just shook her head. "It's Lily."

"Let me guess. School troubles again?" She nodded and turned to the stairs. "But this time I saw something different from before." Malcolm gave a strange look at her and then at the stairs. "What'd mean?"

"Well before she'd just move aside and say something like. "I'm fine I just want some privacy." But this time what she said had some meaning like she's seems content." The male raccoon just placed a hand on her shoulder. "I think your just over thinking it Riv. She's just being a girl." Rivia just nodded with a tear running down her face. "Yeah but she's being something I'd never thought she be."

Couple of hours later and the raccoon came back down sitting at the table. Rivia then placed a plate with spaghetti Bolognese in front of her. "Thanks mum." Lily then placed a fork full in her mouth. "Wow this is good usually when you make something like this it's well bad."

"Well thanks. It's from Sly, said he had to do something in Italy some time ago and ate at a restaurant. He then quickly stole the recipe and presto here it is." The raccoon shoved another fork full in her mouth. "My complements to the thief then." Minutes later as she finished eating, Lily noticed both her mother and father looking at her funny. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Well Lily you been acting really strangely lately and both your mother and I are worried." Lily gave a angry glare at her father and quickly got up from the table. "I don't want to talk about it."

"But why?" The raccoon turned and walked away from the two. "Because I said so!" But before she could walk up the stairs Malcolm grabbed her arm. "Uh-let go off me!"

"Not until you tell me what's got into you!" Lily tightened her other hand. "Nothing is wrong with me, but that's just typical me isn't it!"

"What's that suppose to mean!?" She then yanked her hand out off her fathers. "What do you think it means! NOTHING EVER HAPPENS TO ME!" She then charged up the stairs leaving Malcolm confused. "What is up with that girl?" He then felt Rivia's hand clenching his as she placed her other hand on his shoulder. "Well you haven't really been paying attention to her lately."

"Yeah but I've been helping Sly."

"Exactly, you've been paying more attention too your brother then you own daughter. No wonder she like how she is." The raccoon gazed at the floor it was like a slap in the face how could he not have seen it. "Oh I really screwed up haven't I... Then I'll make it up too her, tomorrow I'll spend the day with her, training her." The leopard kissed his cheek as she walked up the stairs. "I'll go check on her. I'll be back down after." Just as the leopard got up the top Malcolm walked into the other room sitting down on the chair. "How could I not have noticed I'm a terrible father."

_"We all make mistakes Malcolm, we must learn from them." _Malcolm then got up and looked around for the voice. "Whose there?"

_"Shhh don't worry I'll make you feel better." _A bit of air brushed against the raccoons cheek as a black whirl formed behind him. _"I'll make everything better, you'll see." _He then sat back down in his chair gazing at the floor, he then looked back up. "Hmm wounder what that was? Probable the wind, oh well I better prepare for tomorrow Lily's going to be surprised." Upon leaving the room a black shade formed in the room. _"Yes don't worry I'll make all the pain go away." _The shade then vanished into the air with a smile. _"It won't go to waste though."_

Lily laid on her bed in the dark curled up in a ball. She then heard a knock on her door. "Go away!"

"Lily it's me mum, open the door please."

"And like I said before GO AWAY!" But the leopard just knocked again. "You should know by now honey I'm just as stubborn as you are. So open the door now or we could be like this for a couple more hours your choose." The raccoon sighed heavily and got off the bed, marched to the door and unlocked it. "What do you want?"

"When did I teach you to be so rude Lily." However the raccoon didn't pay attention to her mother and simply fell on the bed. "Whatever if you got something too say then say it." Rivia shook her head and walked to the bed, sitting down next to her. "Look I know your sad Lil but you need to let people in."

"I do let people in. I just don't do it to you or dad as often."

"That's what worries me, I want you to tell me if you have any problems." Rivia attempted to place a hand on the young raccoons leg but she curled up into a ball again. "Mum just leave me alone I don't want to talk right now." The leopard sighed and got up moving towards the door. "Tomorrow will be better you'll see."

"Mum. Could you turn my light off... please." Rivia then switched off the light and then closed the door slowly. "Goodnight Lil sweet dreams." The room filled with darkness. Lily then slowly began to closed her eyes. _"At least I can have exsitment in my dreams."_

* * *

**Lily's dream**

Lily reopened her eyes seeing she was inside the school. "Why am I here again. Sure I know the heist is going to be in the school but still." She then proceed to walked though the endless dimlilted hall noticing only one thing. "There's no one around. No teachers, no students, no nothing weird." But something caught her eye. It was the same white light she saw when talking to Bethany in her other dream. "Not this time I'm gonna see what you are." She then gave chase following it around corner to corner until it stopped at a dead end. "Ha got you now." The light then vanished into the wall leaving Lily annoyed. "Oh come on really this is my dream! Oh right it's my dream." She then walked to the wall lightly touching it, the wall the rippled softly like water. The raccoon then placed her right arm in and out seeing no damage was done she walked though it.

_"You can open your eyes now." _Lily then slowly opened her eyes seeing small lights gleaming around her like stars leaving the raccoon in awe. "Wow I never dream of anything like this."

_"That's because I made this place so we can talk." _Lily turned around seeing a ball of light floating towards her. "Wait a minute your the same light I saw in my other dream just before I woke up."

_"Yes that is I." _

"What do you want?" The light drew closer and closer to the raccoon morphing slowly from light into a shape. _"I wish too tell you the truth." _The light morphed into a raccoon whose fur was not like anything Lily has ever seen. It was a snowy white colour and the black fur was instead light grey. "Who are you?"

_"My name is Lucem and you need too know the story before she corrupts you to."_

* * *

**And I'm back! It feels good to type again and I'm especially going to enjoy this new story. So who is this black shade posing as Lucem and what is she doing? Will Malcolm own up to his words and train Lily and most important of all what did Lily see on principal Artair's letter that involves Sly? That will be explained in time. Until then see you next time!**


	2. Always one step ahead

"Wait your Lucem. Who or what are you?" The white raccoon stepped forward coming closer to Lily. _"I am one of many who came together to stop a threat. A threat that still exists even now."_ She pointed at the endless darkness below them which began to ripple. The floor then showed what could only be described as apocalyptic. Lily gazed down seeing nothing but fire, ash, and scarred lands. "What is this?"

_"This is the land where it sleeps." _

"It sleeps, what is "it?" The floor rippled again showing a orb with a giant creature inside. "The hell is that?!"

_"The one that everyone shall fear, he who can travel from one to the next. He is by far a god, but only wishes for death and destruction." _

"A god, no way that's insane this is just a dream this can't be real." But Lucem then walked to her punching the raccoons shoulder. "Ow! W-what I felt that? How is this possible?"

_"Because I took you from the dimension you know and took you into another. But I can only do this though dreams."_

"Dimension what are you going on about!?"

_"This is worse then I thought. Ok let me quickly explain too you I only have a few minutes. You see we exists in our own universe but there is a wall, an invisible wall that can be breached using the right technology." _

"And you have this technology I'm guessing." Lucem laughed and quickly shook her head. _"Nope I was born with this power." _Lily mind was blown, she couldn't comprehend that anything like this could ever exist. "This has to be a dream. There's no way this can be real."

_"Sorry but this is all real now where was I ah yes. Once you breach this wall you enter a place called "Dimension space" a realm that mirrors the place you live in except you are only visible to those of that time, anyone from any other time will not see or hear you."_

"What do you mean by people from different times?"

_"One may travel though time to another. If you travel into the dimension space only those from said time can see you others from other times will not see you."_

"Ok fine say I believe you, what's all of this stuff got to do with me and all of this!?"

_"Well it's got everything to do with this. After all you are within a special place only known to some. A little place outside the walls of Dimension space which can only entered with dreams." _Lily looked around a little more only seeing the gentle lights shining. "Wait, you said you made this world so we can talk."

_"Yes I did didn't I."_ Lily turned to the white raccoon with a confident gleam. "So your saying you created all of this whatever just to talk with me? There's more to this is there!?" Lucem just giggled and walked backwards as her body began to glow. "Wait what's happening?"

_"Times up I'm afraid I have to go."_ She walked backwards with Lily walked towards her, she then hit an invisible wall. "Hey what the hell?"

_"Sorry Lily but you can't come with me after all this is just a dream." _As she morphed back into a ball of light the raccoon could hear a faint whisper coming from the ball. _"Do not worry I will protect you in the shadows. But beware of the wondering shade, do not trust anything she says." _

"W-WAIT!" Lucem shun brightly, blinding the raccoon.

* * *

**Rivia's house**

"N-no don't go!" Lily then woke up and got up quickly shaking her head. "Wow what a dream, it almost seemed real." However the raccoon was taken by surprise when she turned seeing a piece of paper on the end of her bed. She reach out grabbing the paper and opened it.

_"I send you this to show you are not alone, remember do not trust the shade. She will only lead you to darkness. You are our only hope Lily." _

She began to shake and then heard a knock on the door, quickly she placed the paper under her bed cover. "Who is it?"

"It's dad who else."

"Well it could have been mum."

"True, can I come in?" Lily walked to the door opening it. "Of course but don't think I'm not angry still."

"I know and that's why I wanted to take you somewhere." The raccoons curiosity was tickled by this, her father wouldn't just say this without a reason. "Ok you got me. What's going on?"

"Nothing sweet heart I felt bad about last night and I wanted to make up for it."

"By doing?" Malcolm gave the trade Cooper smile and winked. "You'll have to find out later, after all school comes first." Lily sighed and then remembered what today was. "Ah! I have isolation."

"Doesn't matter when you come home you'll see." She smiled and hugged her father who then rubbed her hair messing it up. "Hey don't do that, do you know how long it take to get my hair ready?" Malcolm laughed and walked away. "I'll see you later dear."

"Yeah you too." Lily got dressed quickly and then headed out to school.

* * *

**Outside the school**

Lily waited outside the school looking for both Bethany and Trevor, she impatiently tapped her foot on the ground whilst looking at her watch. _"Come on guys I thought we agreed to come at this time so we can discuses the plan."_

**Flashback**

Lily was in her room last night when she felt a vibration on her leg, she then quickly grabbed her phone seeing who was calling. "Hey Beth what's happening?"

"Lily I wanted to decuse the plan quickly."

"Ok how about we talk tomorrow in front of the school at eight how's that?"

"Sounds good to me, I'll call Trevor and tell him. See you at eight." Beth then hung up leaving the raccoon to herself.

**Back at the school**

_"Come on, come on what's taking so long?" _The raccoon turned seeing two figures running towards her. "About time. Hey Trev, Beth what took you so long!?" The three all grouped with Bethany and Trevor quickly catching their breath. "S-sorry Lil I h-had a idea and wanted t-to go somewhere quick."

"A plan? Ok what is it?" Bethany then pulled from her bag a old looking device. "Uh what's that?"

"This is or was dad's old binocucom until he got an upgraded one. I though it might come in handy." Bethany then gave it to the raccoon while she pulled out another. "This was uncle Murray's old binocucom here Trevor you take it."

"Thanks." Bethany then pulled the last one out. "Last but not least is uncle Bentley's old binocucom. That reminds me we should test these out." Lily nodded and activated it and then looked though hers. "Ok everything looks somewhat fine but it still works."

"Same with this one Beth." Bethany then examined hers . "Perfect they all still work, dad and the others won't miss then, after all their being put to good use."

"Ok so what's the plan?"

"Step one Lily will be put in isolation which means she's out of commission but try to sneak out if possible."

"Got it, nothing's gonna keep me out."

"While that's happening both me and Trev will do whatever we can to examine the principals office and look for clues. But most likely will have to do two things, if this happens I handle pickpocketing after all my dad taught me a lot. And Trev you handle-well whatever you do best."

"Talking to girls?"

"Well now you mention it, talking around might help in fact yes do that."

"Wow for once talking to girls is the right move."

"Of course if you can try getting sent to his office on purpose."

"WHAT! Why?"

"Because you'll be able to get a front row seat of the situation. You'll be able to see if there are any locks on anything that seems secure. If so that means he has a key on him, which then means I can pickpocket him." Trevor sighed. "Fine in the honour of thieves I'll take one for the team but you owe me!"

"Fine let's get in there quickly." The three then proceed inside with a shadow watching them from a distends. "Hmm this could be interesting, I might get closer and see what's happening."

**Inside the school**

The three walked in with a teacher standing next to a row of lockers. "Ah miss Cooper come with me." Lily breathed in and turned to the raccoon and tiger, nodding as they did as well. She was then escorted to the room leaving Bethany and Trevor to it. "Ok let's get moving to class and start the plan."

"Ok but hopefully todays not math or history, I had enough of history from both mum and dad." The tiger cringed as Bethany walked away.

**The isolation room**

Lily walked into the room seeing rows of sections with, the teacher then pointed to the nearest room. "Come on the quicker you get moving the quicker it'll be over."

"You can say that again." She moved to the room with the badger placing a few pieces of paper on the table. "This is your work for today, I'll be coming back at break to see is you have finished. If so I'll give you another set of work understood?" She nodded as the badger closed the door behind her leaving Lily in the small room with only a table and a chair. "And I thought the stories about these rooms where made up, oh well guess the next step is to find a way out." She looked around only seeing the top of the small room, she glanced at the floor like Bethany said there where gaps. "Ok time to see if I can fit." Lily got on the floor and tried to fit though the gap, only just getting though. "Wow never thought I'd get though that. Ok next step finding a way to the principals office though the ventilation system." The raccoon gazed around seeing nothing in site. She quickly but quietly moved around looking for anything until she remembered what her cousin said. "The vents may be above the rooms." She quickly gazed up seeing the vent seeing one part of the vent going down into one room which luckily wasn't being used. "Must be my lucky day." Lily then entered the room seeing it would take some skill to get up to the vent. "Ok Lily use you brain for once." She jumped up on the table and then picked up the chair, placing it on the table and again got up on it. "Still not enough, I need another chair." She got down and grabbed her rooms chair and placed it on the chair, not providing the height she wanted she gritted her teeth and jumped hoping she could grab hold of the vent. She managed to grab the vent and pull of the rusty hinges leaving it dangling as she then used it to climb up into the vent. "Right principals office here I come."

**Hallway **

The class exited out leaving Bethany and Trevor to talk. "Ok remember try to find someone who can give you information or try to get into the principals office."

"Got it. What are you doing?" Bethany then quickly put on a pair of yellow gloves. "I'm going fishing and the targets are the teachers and the principal himself. That reminds me if you get in trouble use the binocucom and call me. Don't forget to contact Lily too."

"Got it, well I'm on the move." The tiger then ran of leaving the raccoon who turned clicking her fingers. _"Oooook. Who will be the first victim? Ah how about you miss Yen."_

**Back in the vent**

Lily slowly made her way though the vent covered in dust and cobwebs. "Uh I hate dark tight spaces and most of all I hate spiders." A small spider crawled on her arm as she brushed it away. "Yuck, be brave girl there's worse things then spiders like a weeks worth of detention." She then began to hear things below her seeing vent near her she crawled to it looking down. "It's the hallway." She gazed down seeing people walk by and others just talking until she heard something that caught her attention. "Excuse me sir I must speak too you about Mr Cooper."

"What? Cooper." Lily looked seeing a parrot and the principal walking into a room nearby. Lily then crawled quickly to the room hoping to find a vent to look though.

She got to the room looking down and quickly got out her binocucom and took a look around the room. "Sir you ask me to get information on Mr Cooper and Mrs Meadow."

_"Mum? What's this about."_

The parrot handed a letter to the bear who opened it quickly, he then grinned and patted the parrot. "Well done my friend your efforts was commendable."

"What do you me.." The parrot then felt a jab in his back as he clasped to the ground. _"OH MY GOD!" _The bear then pulled out a knife from the parrot and pulled up the bird body, making sure he wasn't breathing. "What a shame, if you'd died like that you would have to die like this." Principal then placed the knife on the birds neck slowly cutting the birds throat enjoying every moment of it. The teachers wings began to twitch as he began to chock on his own blood much to the horror of Lily who watched the whole thing. _"T-this guy is crazy! Forget stealing from this guy he needs to get locked up." _The raccoon then used the binocucoms to take photos of principal Artair. Before he left he quickly placed the letter on the table before calling someone to clean the mess, he left quickly clearing of the blood on him. Lily then tried to open the vent however she couldn't do anything. "Wait a minute the binocucom." Lily then called Bethany."

**Hallway**

Bethany's pockets where filled with many things from the teachers mostly coins, jewellery, and notes. "Not a single thing that might help oh well then guess I'll go pick the principals pocket." She paused as her pocket began to vibrate. She then pulled the binocucom out and activate it. _"Bethany! I need your help and fast!"_

"Whoa, whoa slow down what's happening?"

_"T-the principal he, he just killed one of the teachers over some letter."_

"What a-are you sure?"

_"Trust me I'm still in the vent above the room looking at the mess. He left the letter on the table I need you to grab it and fast."_

"O-ok what room is it?"

_"Ah damn from what I can see it's room... 4B? Perhaps 5B."_

"That's good enough for me I'll get right to it." Bethany put the gadget in her pocket and then ran down the hallway searching for the room. "C4, C2, C, ah ha B5 and B4." She opened B5 first seeing nothing inside. "Ok not this one then." She then ran to the next room and opened it. "Oh god it's like she said." Bethany saw the parrot laying on the floor, the blood soaked his cloths as it pooled around him. "Beth, Beth up here." The raccoon gazed up at the vent seeing a shadowy figure. "Lily is that you?"

"Sure is. The letter is on the table. Grab it and get out fast." Bethany looked at the table and saw the letter. She quickly grabbed it and ran fast. "Ok I better make it back for the isolation room. Here I thought we where stealing from a normal person." Lily then crawled her way back to the small room.

"So you girls haven't seen anything strange at all."

"For the last time Trevor no we haven't now get lost!" The group of girls walked away with Trevor gazing at the oldest girls skirt. "Wow what a great arse." She turned with a angry glare. "I HEARD THAT!" She then ran at the tiger who then began running away. Trevor then crashed into Bethany. "Hey watch where your going. Oh it's just you Trev."

"Why does everyone say that too me?" The two got up but the tiger was then hit by the cat who chased him. "Next time keep your thoughts to yourself." She walked away with Bethany looking down at Trevor. "Hitting on girls with terrible lines ha."

"No! I gave her a complement and she took it negatively. I can't help it you girls are a strange people." Bethany help him up and the two then got closer both gazed at each other for a few seconds. Bethany then pushed him away. "Ahem anyway I got something important we need to talk about it after we finish." The raccoon walked back to the classroom but Trevor just gazed at her confusingly. "Weird I feel warm, strange. Probably just something I ate."

**Isolation room**

Lily quickly placed everything back into place not long before the door opened leaving her a few seconds to get into her room. With some luck and quickness Lily made it into her room and sat down, her door then opened with the teacher unimpressed. "You have done nothing what so ever!" She shrugged her shoulders with a unsure grin. "I got stuck on the questions." The teacher looked at the first question. "What is 5+5?" Lily gave a cocky smile. "Ooooh five plus five. I thought it meant something else."

"Something else?" She had to think quickly. "Uh I thought it meant what is fifty five plus blank that's why I waited to convers with you about." The badger was still unimpressed by her excuse. "Nice try Cooper but not good enough detention after school."

"WHAT!? Can't I just have another isolation tomorrow?"

"No you heard me an hour detention after school." The badger walked out the room leaving Lily to calm down. _"Look on the Brightside, we have something that's even bigger then we could have realised that effects uncle Sly and mum. After this is over we can see what it is." _The raccoon sighed and picked up the pencil next to her and began to work.

* * *

**Classroom**

The day was over but not for Lily who went to her classroom with her teacher Mr Hilburn watching her. "Not to be mean or anything sir but don't you have anything better you could be doing besides doing detention?"

"If I do it's got nothing to do with you Lily now be quiet." Lily sighed starring up at the clock seeing she had to wait another fifteen minutes. The waiting made her annoyed as she wanted to see what her father had planned. _"Come on clock go faster!"_

"Starring at the clock won't make it go fast. Believe me I've tried that." Lily just slouched on the desk waiting what seemed like an eternity. She then slightly opened her desk seeing if she had anything interesting inside. She then pulled out from her a piece of paper with a name on it. "S.M? weird no one in this class name begins with s or surname begins with m. So who does this belong to?" Her curiosity got the better of her, she opened it reading slowly.

* * *

**_Meet me outside near the trees, I've been watching you and we need to speak. _**

**_A friend _**

**_V _**

* * *

"V whose V?" She put the letter in her pocket and then gazed at the clock seeing it's now ten-to-five making her feel a bit better. She looked though her desk for anything else aggressed to S.M but nothing could be found, the bell rung much to the raccoons delight. Lily then walked out of the room as Hilburn quickly began writing on a paper. "Cooper!" Lily turned back to the class grunting. "What now!?"

"Take this." The hedgehog gave her a note which she took. "Don't read it here go somewhere else with it." The whispers made her quite nervous making her think something more sinister was happening besides the principal. "Ok thank you sir." She ran off leaving the hedgehog. Before he could walked off to his room he was grabbed from behind by principal Artair. "What did you tell her?"

"I-I didn't say anything."

"A likely story but I saw the note you handed to her. What did it say?"

"Nothing It's just a reminder to her parents." The bear grinned. "I'm very sorry Hilburn, you where a good employee until now." He then snapped his neck, the hedgehog then flopped to on the floor. Artair reached down to his pocket grabbing a walky-talky. "Yes it's me... No I don't think the Coopers know yet... Of course you idiot I'll make sure everything go according to plan... Yes, yes oh that reminds me we need two more men to poses as teachers two went rogue so I had to kill them... Good I'll meet you later goodbye."

* * *

**Outside the school**

Lily walked around the area searching for any sign that someone was around but there was nothing. "I guess no ones here. Oh well never mind."

"I was waiting for you." Lily turned to see a raccoon behind her. "W-who are you!?"

"Yes I guess you wouldn't recognise me after all these years." The raccoon turned around facing Lily. "I'm call Vitalis, but most of everyone calls me Vivi or Vi." Lily then started to recall the name. "Yeah mum told me about you a raccoon who disappeared never to be seen again."

"Hmm stories change after time and time again. Your mother told you I disappeared when really I was here the whole time."

"Why? Why didn't you go see mum?" Vitalis then turned sighing. "Because your mother wouldn't want to see me."

"What? Why's that?"

"You see this world this dimension there's something wrong with it. It makes you think things changes things about you and worst of all it takes the unhappiness and leaves you with happiness."

"What's so wrong with taking everyone's unhappiness?"

"Because it takes it and feeds it to someone or should I say something in another place." Lily began to remember the dream she had last night everything the raccoon said began to make sence to her. "Do you know who Lucem is?" Vitalis turned to Lily surprisingly. "You know of her?"

"She talked to me in a dream telling me about some "god" who wants to destroy things."

"Yes the god who wishes destruction but is stuck in a place he can't even escape from and yet he is here with us."

"What?" The raccoon then raised her arm out to Lily. "Take my hand." Though she felt scared a feeling inside of her told her to do it, she placed a hand on her as she then changed. Her body morphed from her raccoon fur to a smooth metallic body. "W-what are you!?"

"I am a robotic model of a raccoon the project that I was named after was "Project Walking Shade." From that moment on I was labelled PWS." Images then poured into Lily mind seeing a clear image of a giant bird with a monsters appearance battling several shady apparitions. "What is all of this?!"

"That is the beast and several others along with myself who tried to stop him but failed."

"You failed but that doesn't make sence your here." Vitalis laughed at the comment. "Just like your mother naïve. The beast wishes to travels from one dimension to the other absorbing himself over and over until he has completed his cycle. To destroy the place call "The centre of Time space."

"Centre of time space?" The images stopped and the metallic form changed back into her furry raccoon form again. "What was that about."

"What you saw was a memory from my data chip this took place twelve years ago, however my data tells me it never took place."

"How is that possible?"

"The events took place in another dimension so this proves one thing, we are no longer what we were before the others have changed somehow."

"What on earth are you talking about!?" Vitalis turned back to Lily and walked to her. "You must listen, the world you live in is not like the original. Me your mother, Sly and the others come from another dimension this is not our home and yet we have merged into this place, how is this possible." Lily pulled her hands out from Vitalis's grasp. "Tell me is Bentley still around?"

"Y-yes why do you want to know?!"

"Good then I'll have a word with him then, goodbye until next time." The robot then dropped a object on the floor which then filled the area with smoke. Lily was shortly blinded allowing Vitalis to escape. "W-what's (cough) going on? (cough)" She ran out of the cloud of smoke and quickly looked around. "Gone so much for asking, I guess the best thing is to just go home." Her leg then began to vibrate. She activated her binocucom. _"Lily where are you? We've been waiting for ages!"_

"Sorry Bethany I ran into some trouble but I'll talk too you later ok."

_"Whoa trouble what happened?"_

"It's a long story but I'll tell you later." Lily placed the device back and took a deep breath. _"Of all the people on this planet. Why did I have to have the unusual family that has some strange connection with some monster."_

* * *

**Outside Rivia's house**

Lily finally made it home as the sun began to set she then noticed something outside the house. "D-dad what going on?" The raccoon began to pack stuff into a car. "Where going somewhere like I said didn't matter what time you return. Now are you ready?" She nodded with a smile and Malcolm got into the car. "Ok let's go." The two then setted off.

**Unknown location**

Malcolm parked the car outside a forest leaving Lily with a strange feeling. "What is this place dad?"

"This is where your going to train." She gave a confusing look. "Train? But I thought."

"I said so many times that I'll do things with you but never do anything and times when I go on heist I never take you. Well now I think it's time you come with me and Sly, but first you need to train." Lily's eyes began to water with joy as she hugged the raccoon. "Oh thank you dad your the best."

The forest was pitched black with nothing to be seen, it was cold and the sound of bugs could be heard. Malcolm then stopped grabbing the younger raccoon shoulder. "Over here we made it." He walked into a bush, Lily then walked though becoming amazed by what she saw. She looked around seeing gentle glowing lights decorating the area, on the ground close by was a small stream flowing smoothly. She looked up to the sky seeing only the night sky littered with stars dotting the darkness above. "What is this place?"

"This my daughter is grotto that only I know of when I was a child. My few times I came was to improve my skills I then carved the Cooper family symbol here into this rock signifying this place belongs to us. This is where I propose to your mother, we came here a lot but we came here to train and that what we shall do." The older raccoon then pointed up in the air. "Ok Lily see the trees."

"Yeah."

"I want you to climb up and then jump from one to the other." She gave a confused look at her father. "But that sounds easy."

"If so then do it." She turned to a tree and climbed up with ease, she then turned and prepared to jump. As she jumped she then bashed into a tree causing her to fall to the ground. "You ok?"

"Uh I-I'm ok. What happened I jumped to a branch but hit something." Malcolm began to laugh as the raccoon got up of the floor.

"That is the beauty of this place. You see when you are high up in the air the lights are dim and they create shadows making you think what you are aiming at is a branch but instead another tree." Lily then got up and climbed the tree again failing again and again. _"She has good determination I give her that. She may have what it take to be a Cooper with more training of cause." _Malcolm watched her as she got up again and again until finally she had succeeded. "D-dad I did it!" He smiled with delight. "Fantastic now come on down that's enough for today will come back tomorrow." Lily then swung down to the ground impressing her father. "When did you learn to do moves like that?"

"When your away on heists mum likes to teach me stuff." Malcolm grinned and grabbed Lily. "So that's what you and you mother where doing!" He began to tickle her. "NO STOP IT! HA, HA, HA!" He picked the girl up and placed her on his shoulders as they walked back to the car. "Ah dad." He put her down and looked at the girl. "Yeah?"

"Thanks for this. I thought you didn't want to bring me along cause I'd get in the way and stuff."

"What? That's not it at all." He bent down to her high placing both hands on her shoulders. "I didn't want you involved because I didn't want you getting hurt, put in jail or worse dead." Lily knew the consequences and how a life of the thief is but she wanted to pursue it. "I don't care dad, even if I break my arm or get caught you or mum would save me." She hugged him as he looked on giving a sad look. _"I'm sorry Lily for everything."_

* * *

**Rivia's house**

The car parked outside the house, Lily then quickly got indoors as Malcolm locked the door a bit of wind brushed up against him. "Hello is someone there?" With no one in site he shrugged and then went inside. Little did he know that the shade was watching him from a distends. _"Soon my dear Malcolm soon your part will be played."_

Lily then ran upstairs past her mother who greeted the two. "Hey what's the matter?"

"Have to do something quickly I'll come back down in a minute." Rivia shook her head. "What is going though that girls mind?"

"Well I know one thing. That girl has some talent." The raccoon wrapped his arms around the leopard holding her there. "What's got you into this mood?"

"Let's just say that I think I getting to know my little girl better." Rivia smiled and closed her eyes. "Good I never though I'd here those words." Malcolm kissed Rivia's cheek and walked into the kitchen. "Now then what's for dinner?"

"Ha is that all you can think about."

Meanwhile Lily pulled out the binocucom and called Bethany. "Hey Beth I'm ready to talk."

_"Took you long enough. Anyway the letter that principal Artair was given links him to a group called "The blackmarket gang."_

"I remember that gang, uncle Markus runs it but what this Artair guy doing here?"

_"The letter says that some of the group dispand and didn't approve of Markus so they setted up a new organisation, the letter names them. "The Rising Boar."_

"What's with the name "Rising Boar?"

_"Apparently your mum along with my dad, Trevor's dad, Bentley, Murray, and some other helped take down the leader called Desmond. After that Markus took over and lead the gang into an information team, hunting down items and gaver information for people one of these people is your mother who has been listed as "Ghost."_

"Weird mum never mentioned being called that. In fact no one seemed to mentioned any of this."

_"It could be cause all of this was burred a long time ago. This happened around fifteen years ago."_

"Whoa still why hasn't anyone mention anything I mean someone had to find out sooner or later right?"

_"Exactly and this is what this letter is._ _You see the teachers are actual undercover "Rising Boar" agents hunting down the person who killed Desmond and so far they only know my dads involved and your mother and your uncle."_

"So what are we going to do?"

_"This maybe out of our hands Lil we may need to tell someone."_

"What no way! We can stop this group and save our parents with ease."

_"Lily! You saw Artair kill one of the agents in cold blood for delivering a letter for him. Do you really think we can do anything against these people?" _Lily grunted under her breath. "Y-your right. Let's tell our parents tomorrow and then meet up at school and talk about, did you tell Trev?" Bethany hesitated a second leaving Lily confused. "Uh Bethany what's wrong?"

_"N-nothings wrong I'm gonna tell him right now, see you later."_ The link went dead but Lily was left confused by Bethany's actions. "What is with that girl? Oh well she'll be better by tomorrow." She placed the device under her bed and then went down stairs.

**One hour later**

Lily then opened her room and switched on the lights. "Feels weird going to bed around this time." She looked at the clock on her wall reading half-nine. She stretched and then opened her draws putting on a pair of pajamas. She then turned of the light and jumped into bed, slowly shutting her eyes she began to hear a faint noise in her room. She arose up from her covers searching the room seeing nothing at all until a small whispering could be heard.

_"Lily, Lily." _The raccoon turned seeing a strange apparition in the centre of her room swirling around in a spiral. "What the?"

_"Don't be afraid of me, I won't hurt you."_ Strangely Lily seemed enticed by the black swirling object, her body was fighting trying to stop her moving closer but her mind felt a strange feeling of warmth and kindness. _"That's right come closer I wont bite." _

"N-no." Lily then began to fight back as her hand got closer and closer, she could feel the coldness of the black swirl on her fingertips. _"Do not fight it this is what you are meant to do. This is your destiny."_

"I-I don't believe you!"

_"It doe not matter whether you believe me or not. What is important is I have the next piece of the puzzle."_ The swirl changed into a raccoon which looked exactly like Lucem but her fur was the exact opposite. The grey was instead pure black like ink, her black fur was more of a dull silver. _"Your soul will awake the might Clocklord." _Lily coward in fear. "NO!" But nothing happened when she looked, something was before her. "What? Lucem is that you?"

_"When will you realise that I am more powerful then you fool!"_

_"I believe that when I see it." _The light filled the room casting the shade out the room. _"Are you ok?" _Lily then looked up seeing the raccoon there. "But I thought you could only appear in dreams?"

_"I can but I can come here only for a short while as long a she is in the same place as well."_

"Who was that and who is Clocklord?" Lucem then turned around. _"Will talk more in your dreams, go to sleep." _She nodded and then slowly drifted of to sleep.

**Lily's dream**

The raccoon then opened her eyes seeing she was inside the dark room filled with lights. "How come I'm in here?"

_"You have been here before that was enough for you to dream and think about it."_

"Ok down to business, who was that and who is Clocklord?"

_"The being you saw is a shadow, a thing that I created by mistake."_

"What you created that thing!?"

_"Intentionally no. Like I said before It is a shadow of myself. It was formed when I spitted myself into another being to send into this dimension." _

"Ok fine so who is Clocklord?"

_"It is a monster, the god who carves destruction that is what Clocklord is and I guard it."_

"You call it "it" yet I talked to someone earlier who said him. Why do you call this creature "it."

_"Because it has no gender and has change beyond what it was. He is no longer anything but a machine hybrid longing to kill everything for power and control."_

"Ok but what about that whatever it is. What is it besides a shadow?"

_"How to say this, it is me another me." _Lily noticed the world rippled around her. The surroundings changed to the world she saw before, she looked down seeing the bright glowing orb. "That's Clocklord the creature inside the orb?" Lucem nodded with a glum look. _"I thought this was the end of it but I was wrong, so very wrong. After the battle I sealed it in the same dimension and then used whatever energy from both myself and it in attempt to create a new dimension. However I could not do it no matter how much power I had, so I placed the spirits of the team into a new dimension."_

"You sealed the spirits of my mum and the others in this dimension. How can that even be possible?" Lucem chuckled softly. _"It's hard to explain but it's like this." _The white raccoon walked to the raccoon and then placed her hand out, a glowing white aura surrounded her hand. "Whoa that amazing!"

_"It is. You see we have a spirit within us and within each of our "other selves" because of this we can transfer one spirit to the other combining the two together to create one being."_ Lily then walked forward and raised her arm out which Lucem then gently held. _"Everyone has this spiritual energy which can be absorbed into another version of our "other selves." I then found a dimension which resembled the same as the one the gang came from even your spirit came from that dimension." _

"Me really I came from a different dimension?" She shook her head and smile. _"It's a little bit complicated you see in every dimension there is always something different with the exception of a few things like there's always a Cooper and a Meadow family. An example of this is Malcolm wasn't your father." _

"Really I wasn't a Cooper?"

_"You where still a Cooper, your father was your ancestor Tennessee "kid" Cooper."_ Lily cringed at the sentence. "Tennessee was my father in another dimension? What the hell was my mum thinking!?"

_"Technically you would have still been his daughter if it wasn't for the fact a certain few things changed in this timeline. __For one Malcolm was with Sly to which your mother meet him. Secondly the events that would lead up to your uncle traveling in time thought certain events. Because of this a skunk named Le Paradox never went back in time, come to think of it wonder where he is in this dimension? And finally the events that lead up to the battle against Clocklord never happened cause Clocklord is trapped but not for long."_

"Not for long, what going to happen if this "Clocklord" gets out?" Lucem then turned quickly pointing at the darkness in the distends, the black emptiness changed into a bright orangey-red as Lily's eyes began to glow with a furious orange light. "No this can't be."

_"Sadly it's true, this is how this world will end should Clocklord escape and many others." _Lily shook her head seeing the world burn and turn to ash and rubble. "There has to be a way!"

_"The only way to stop this is to stop the shade."_

"So how do we stop her?" However the white racoon bit down on her lip. "You don't know how to stop her don't you." She began to shine brightly signalling her time was up. _"I must return to my prison but have faith I shall find a way to quell her darkness and free all of you."_

"Wait "free us" what do you mean by that!?" But it was to late the light burst out sending the raccoon flying into the dark.

* * *

**Bentley's hideout**

"I'm sorry but I can't help you Vi. I'd like to but I just can't."

"You don't understand Bentley this isn't our home we live in another dimension." Bentley spun around as he began typing on his laptop. "I'm sorry Vi I don't know how to make a dimension machine. I don't even know how you got this idea in your head." The robot grunted and walked to the balcony grabbing the railing, she looked out at Paris the city glow brightly at night, the cold wind hit against her. "Look Bentley please can you at least look into it for me." The turtle sighed turning the chair toward the robo raccoon. "Look I don't know why you want me to do this but I'll look at whatever I can."

"Thanks Bentley I owe you one."

"What's going on Bentley?" Vitalis turned to see Penelope walking in the room to Bentley. "What's she doing here?"

"I'm here talking to Bentley not you bitch." The two walked next to each other glaring into the others eyes. "Please that's enough both of you." Bentley rolled in between the two, Vitalis then walked out to the balcony, jumping on the railing. "Just tell me when you get any information." She then chucked a small device which landed on the turtles lap, Vitalis then jumped off the railing. As she fell she aimed her arm and used a special grappling hook slinging from one building to the next. The mouse turned to the turtle. "What was she talking about?"

"She said something about a dimension machine so I promised I'd look into it."

"That sounds strange why would she want that?" Bentley then rolled slowly off to the next room. "Who knows but I guess it can't hurt to look." As he left the room the black whirl formed behind the mouse. _"You seemed troubled." _Penelope turned looking for the voice. "Who's there?"

_"Hush now do not fret all will be delt with but first I need your aid."_ The mouse turned again feeling cold all of a sudden. "Who are you and what do you want!?" The black mist swirled around her as the shade rubbed the mouse's cheek. _"All will be explained but first I need something from you." _All went black for Penelope and then she rewove with Bentley above her. "Thank goodness your ok. What happened to you?" She rubbed her head with a confused glance. "I-I don't remember I must had clasped I guess. Anyway about that project the dimension machine I'd like to help." Bentley felt off by the way she came out with that sentence not just the forgetting and clasped part but how eager she was to do this. "Ok I guess we can get started on some stuff but I need some parts and some other things."

"That's ok I'll get right to it." Penelope then ran got off the ground kissing the turtle on the nose as she ran off Bentley glared at her. "Yeah... let's get to it." He slowly rolled behind her. _"I think I'll keep an eye on her." _

Just as he left the room the black whirl appeard in the room forming the dark raccoon. _"Soon I will bring you back and then the cycle will commence but first I need that machine. With it my plans will be put in motion." _She then vanished into the air laughing.

* * *

**That's that done sorry it took so long to do I had a few things bothering me but there out of the way so I can work on the next part. Until then thanks for reading and see you next time.**


	3. Shadowy revenge

Lily opened her eyes, the light pierced through her curtains hitting her. "Uh morning already? Great wonder what's gonna happened today." She quickly got out of the bed and stretched quickly realising something. "Wait the note from Hilburn I completely forgot." Lily walked to the side picking her jeans up and taking the paper from her pocket, opening the slip as she began reading.

* * *

_As you read this I have done my part in this madness. Artair will not hesitate to get messy Cooper even now he's probably done something far worse then I could think. Please if you are reading this then I need you to find someone in the school by the name of Yuvin but he has gone under the name of "Lori." He's somewhere in the school poseing as a janitor. Find him and he'll explain the rest._

* * *

After reading the last word she quickly grabbed the binocucom under her bed and contact Bethany. _"Lily what's going on, did you tell your parents?"_

"No something's come up I forgot about."

_"And that is?" _The raccoon then pulled the turned the binocucom to the note which she put on the floor. _"So it's just a piece of paper."_

"Hilburn gave me this before I left. He wanted me to find someone called Yuvin who's changed his name too Lori." Bethany paused with concern for her cousin. _"I don't like the sound of this Lil_ _this just doesn't seem right."_

"Don't worry let's just go to school, see who this guy is and then find out what he knows. After that we go home and tell our parents ok." Bethany sighed and nodded. _"Fine but if this turns bad I'm blaming you got it?" _She hung up on the device letting Lily get dress into her clothes and run downstairs.

The raccoon looked into the kitchen seeing Malcolm examining a roll of paper. "Hey dad what's going on?" He turned to his daughter. "Ah Lily I'm happy you came in here. Better to tell you now then later."

"What's happening?"

"Sly called up and wants me to help in a heist tonight so I can't train you tonight."

"Can I come with you?" The older raccoon gave a unsure look. "I don't know you have potential but only training for one day won't do anything."

"Please dad what if I stayed behind with Bentley in the van."

"I suppose you can fine. But you have to do as your told understood?" Lily hugged her father tightly with joy. "Oh thank you dad I promise I'll be on my best behaviour I swear!" Lily then grabbed her stuff and set off to school. "I hope I haven't made a mistake."

"What mistake?" Malcolm turned seeing the leopard walking in the room. "I agreed to let Lily come with me and the gang on a heist tonight." Rivia gave a shooked look and smiled. "Well I think it's the right move, she wanted to spend time with you anyway just make sure she's out the way of danger."

"Oh she will." The raccoon turned to what he was looking at. _"Well I hope she'll be ok."_

* * *

**Inside the school**

Lily walked into the halls trying to find Bethany or Trevor but was pushed over by Kasey. "Look what the trash men brought in."

"Funny I thought I was hit by there truck but it turned out to be you." The tiger growled and pounced on top of the raccoon, Lily punched Kasey getting her off. "You know It would be nice if you'd just leave me alone for a week or so." The tiger looked up spiting blood on the floor. "You'd like that but that wouldn't happen ever." But before she could charged a dingo grabbed her and pushed her to the floor. "Your gonna regret that you little punk!"

"I won't but you will." Kasey looked up seeing a male dingo giving a serious look at the tiger. "What you think looking at me like that gonna scare me? Well your mistaken!" Kasey then punched the boy to the floor with a teacher running to the scene. "Kasey what do you think your doing!" The tiger grunted under her breath. "This is a new student, why did you hit him?" She shrugged her shoulders causing the teacher to point down the hall. "Get to your class this instant. I'll be writing a letter to your parents." Kasey then turned to Lily with an angry glare. "I'll deal with you tomorrow Cooper."

"GET MOVING!" The beaver then gently shoved the tiger causing her to move more quicker down the hall. But before the raccoon could get up the young dingo reach out his hand. "Hey need a hand?" Lily look up at him, she grabbed his hand and was pulled up quickly. "Hey the names Derik sorry about that I saw what was happening and I never like it when people bully others especially a cute girl such as yourself." Lily began to slightly blush at the comment and quickly coughed. "Well thanks for that but it happens a lot I tend to deal with it one way or another. My names Lily by the way." Derik turned to the teacher nearby who waved at him. "This schools nice nothing like where I use to live everyone was so... uptight and mean."

"Sorry to say but it like that here of cause if you look carefully you'll find someone to talk too who isn't like that."

"You mean like you?" Lily smile and nodded. "Yeah I guess, where are you from?"

"I was born in France but both my mum and dad came from Australia. After mum found out she was pregnant they moved here."

"Derik it's time to go!" The two turned to see the teacher calling him. "I guess I better go. I hope I'll see you again."

"Yeah me too." Lily waved goodbye to the dingo as he walked down the hall, her chest stated pounding and she felt hot. _"What's wrong with me? I only just met this kid and I feel so... warm and mushy."_

"LILY!" She snapped out of her day dream and turned seeing both Bethany and Trevor. "What happened?"

"Kasey happened she attacked from behind and this kid showed up, he got her in trouble so he's ok in my book."

"Hey you ok you look a little red." Lily turned crossing her arms together. "I'm fine thank you."

"So you said too Beth about this Yuvin guy." Bethany bashed his shoulder. "You idiot not here with everyone watching and listening. We need to talk privately."

"Why not the back of the school. People say it's haunted so no one goes there should be pretty much ok."

"Fine it's settled will talked at break."

**One hour later**

After going though two classes break arrived and the three quickly made it to the back of the school. The place was dark and dusty, cobwebs covered every corner of the place making Lily nervous. "Does everything old have to have a annoying connection that spiders live in them." Beth grabbed her arm giving her slightly more confidence. "Look let's talk here, first the letter."

"Right it said that we're looking for someone called Yuvin who changed his name to Lori."

"Ok what does he look like?"

"I-I don't know it doesn't say."

"Well that's typical so how will we know it's him?"

"It says he posing as a janitor. All we have to do is find ever janitor in the school and presto we find Yuvin."

"One problem this school is full of Rising Boar agents if we mess up they may know who this Yuvin is and well you know." Lily began to think and snapped her fingers. "I got it! Artair must have a list of all the "teachers" in his office. So that mean this Yuvin has gone undercover changing his name to Lori and looking for something important. It says in the last bit. "He'll explain the rest" which mean he must know something really important about Artair's."

"Ok so the plan is to infiltrate Artair's office, find this list of agent names and hunt down Lori. Great why don't me and Trevor handle getting Artair's out of his office and you handle finding the list." Lily nodded with a confident smile. "Ok sounds like we have a plan we have about twenty minutes to get this sorted or we wait till lunch."

"I call lunch." The two girls turned to the tiger surprisingly. "What?"

"Usually you go with the plan that gets you I've close to girls or eating."

"Yeah so?"

"You realise we'll be doing this during lunch right?"

"Hey a sacrifice is a sacrifice anyway Lil will have it done in no time." The two sighed, the three then proceed to walk out of the abundant building.

* * *

**One hour later **

Class finally finished with the three venturing off to the principals office. "Ok guys what's the excuse?"

"Excuse?" Lily face palmed herself. "Yeah the excuse you'll use to get him out off the office."

"Oh get out the way you two I'll handle this, Lily go around the corner quickly." The raccoon did so with Bethany knocking on the door. "Who is it!?"

"It's Bethany Cooper sir. I have something to tell you." Thudding came from the inside as the bear opened the door looking down at the tiny raccoon. "Yes miss Cooper?"

"You see there these boys running into the girls bathroom and I caught one off them." Bethany then pulled Trevor to her surprising him. "The hell Beth!"

"I told you to stop but you wouldn't listen! Please sir can you deal with the other two?" Artair sigh and closed the door behind him. "Lead the way quickly."

"Thank you sir right this way." Lily watch as Bethany pulled Trevor away walking with the bear. "Cleaver Beth clever." She ran into the office and begun her search.

The office was exactly like it was before she came in the first time. "You'd think for a member of this gang he'd have more junk around, what this?" She spotted a locked draw and pulled out a lock pick from her back pocket. "Lock picks never leave home without one." She placed the pick in, taking her time but finally opened the draw seeing some paperwork and nothing more. "Great just this I was expecting a gun or something." Lily then heard a click getting up off the floor seeing a moose pointing a handgun at her. "Well today is your lucky day." Fear struck the raccoon, she became numb upon seeing the gun pointing at her. In her wildest dreams she never thought this would ever happened to her. "Who are you?"

"Let's just say I'm the guy who holds the gun and your the girl who gonna shut up till the boss comes back."

_"The boss. Artair is the boss of the Rising Boar."_ The two heard Artair sending both Bethany and Trevor off, he walked in seeing both the moose and Lily. "Well, well, well what's going on here then?"

"She's been snooping around boss. She was in you privet draw." The bear then walked to the moose and hit him over the head picking up his gun and shot him in the head. Blood began to flow from the lackeys skull like a small fountain until it pooled around him. "Why did you do that he was on your side!?"

"He was of little use to me after all what's one more pawn gone when I have more to add in this little game." He walked closer to the raccoon who stepped backward till she stood against the wall. "What's the matter Cooper does death not entice you, usually the Coopers thrive of moments like this a chance to test their skills to avoid not getting caught, imprisoned, or killed." He pointed the gun directly at her forehead and cocked the gun. Sweat poured off Lily fearing for her life. "Please don't do this I'm just a child!" Artair enjoyed her begging for her life watching the tears flow from her gave him some satisfaction. "Yes beg, beg for your life. I think when you die I'll keep a memo of this moment and in plate it on my wall." He placed a finger on the trigger and prepared to fire. "Say hello to your family for me Cooper. Whether it's the Coopers or the Meadows." Lily knew she couldn't do anything at all she just relaxed and began to think of her family. The raccoon then heard a sound and then a thud seeing the bear on the floor with a lion above her. "Quickly Lily we have to move!" She nodded and got up fast leaving the room with the lion behind her.

Lily saw both Bethany and Trevor down the hall, they ran to her seeing how traumatised she looked. "What the hell happened in there!?"

"Artair's is crazy he... he's a madman! We have to go." The three then saw the lion walking out looking around the hall till he saw the three. "That's the guy how save me." He walked towards them. "Thank god I found you in time. We best get outside fast before Artair's wakes up." The four then ran outside, upon getting out of the building the lion then pulled out his car keys and they all got into a car driving off away from the school. "Not to sound of about this but we kinda got into a strangers car. Sure he saved you but kinda weird."

"Do not worry Hilburn gave you the message." Lily nodded and looked at the lion. "Your Lori aren't you?" He nodded focused more on driving. "That's my undercover name my real name is Yuvin. It's nice to see you again Lily."

"What you know each other?"

"Well it was a long time ago twelve years or so. You should ask your parents about it but here's the short version. I came from the future after dealing with a monster, all of your parents help me and did all they could too stop it."

"But it's in another dimension and it's not stopped." Yuvin turned to the raccoon along with the other two. "Wait how do you know about this we swore never to tell you kids anything."

"Well you just told us."

"Hey shut up you know who I am now so that mean you need to know where I came from."

"No we don't not really." The lion paused. "SHUT UP! Anyway how do you know?"

"Lucem told me about it."

"Hey Lily who's Lucem?" Lily turned to the two beside her. "You see it happened about a day ago I had this dream and then this raccoon who was white as snow told me about this monster called Clocklord and she said I had to stop it somehow." The two gave a concerned look at there cousin. "Oook Lil maybe that event in the principals office may have loosened a bolt in there."

"Shut up Trevor I know what happened those dreams where real and this raccoon told me that this weird shade was causing trouble and stuff."

"Ok kid we need a plan. First I'll take you back to my house I have a friend there who can look after you for the minute."

* * *

**Yuvin's house**

The car parked on the side of the road, the three kids got out starring at the small house. "Well I guess since your a janitor you get low wages."

"What was that?"

"I said nice place you have." Yuvin the chucked the keys at Lily and pointed to the door of the house. "Go in and call Lek." The three got into the house surprisingly it looked quite nice on the inside compared to the outside. "Hello! Lek are you here!?" With no call the three just moved to the next room but saw an old looking gecko on the chair. "Is that Lek?"

"Sure is young lady." The gecko opened one eye looking at the raccoon. "Well I'll be blown miss Lily it's great to see you again. Last I saw of you, you where in diapers and barely saying a word." Lek attempted to get up but fell back into the chair. "Damn this body of all the rotten things I got for helping out against Clocklord I got this body."

"Don't mind him kids he get cranky pour guy."

"How old is he?" The lion sighed. "Believe it or not he's actually twenty-four."

"What no way he looks like he's a hundred." Before Bethany could shove him Lek quickly picked up his hooked stick and dragged Trevor to him. "So think I'm a hundred ha?"

"Uh no sir you well umm."

"Well boy your lucky I have some degree of kindness. Just remember not to judge upon appearance."

"Sit down make yourselves comfortable and I'll explain the situation." Lily grabbed a chair, Bethany sat on the floor, whilst Lek placed Trevor in a nearby chair next to him. "Ok well for one I best start with the school. It all started when Markus assigned the school to another group of Blackmarket gang men though this was a mistake as these men defected and became the Rising Boars. Artair then took hold of the organisation and us the school as a front for the real goal."

"What his goal and motive?"

"The boars want revenge for what your mother did and what both your fathers done to Desmond."

"What so great about this Desmond anyway?"

"He lead the Blackmarket gang with an iron fist causing fear among his men but those he trusted and were loyal would have anything they'd wished. Markus is nothing like that he believes that treating everyone equally is the best way and not to rule with fear. He became quite loved by his men, instead of sending then on suicidal missions they'd would use whatever means they had whether it was sneaking, or attacking straight on ahead this made the jobs easier and made the men more effective in use."

"So where does Artair come into this?"

"Artair was told by Markus to keep the school as it is making sure everything was stabled, I was asked by Markus to keep an eye on him and then send word to Markus. But I was then suspected by Artair and was placed as a janitor by him instead of my original position to make sure I don't see him."

"That explains Artair's but that doesn't explained what they are planning." Yuvin shook his head. "Sadly I don't know. As I was made a janitor I get little information, all I know is that they been looking for your family but they're having difficulty with the false information they where given about each of your homes."

"The school has a false address why?"

"If they knew where you lived you and all of your family's would be dead by now. Don't worry about it your family's has been giving many false address to many other places. Anyway that's the story so let's here yours these dreams tell me about them." Lily looked to the floor thinking carefully. "Well the dream seem to be real I don't know how but there real and Lucem tells me important stuff but she doesn't give me enough. She also mentioned something about a shade that splinted from her." Yuvin began to think whilst the raccoon explained the dream. "But this is just a dream right? I mean come on that so... unnatural."

"That's what I thought until I was attacked by the shade in my room."

"Wait it attacked you?" Lily nodded slowly. "It almost got me. The weird thing about it was that it felt warm and kind until you get closer then it turned cold and evil. It kept saying nice things, drawing me in closer and closer I had no control over myself."

"Whoa this sounds like things are going to turn bad soon. What are you suppose to do against something like that?" But the raccoon just remand silent. "You don't know do you?"

"N-no I don't and neither does Lucem."

"Oh that's perfect you get strange dreams and someone tells you. "Your the only one who can do anything" and she doesn't even know how to stop it!"

"Well I'm sorry Trev but why don't we swap places. You deal with this crap and I get a good night sleep!" Bethany got up placing her hands out toward the two. "ENOUGHT! We shouldn't argue especially since we still have to deal with the Rising Boars." Lily grunted and walked out the room and towards the door. "Wait where are you going!?"

"I'm just getting some air!" She slammed the door behind her as Yuvin shooked his head and turned to the tiger. "Trevor go after her."

"What she's the crazy one who yelled at me!" But the gecko pulled the tiger closer to him. "Listen here boy. You need to work together to deal with this problem. If you had the same problems as she has what will these two do?"

"Well they'd say I'm crazy too."

"Not helping Lek." The gecko waved his hand at the lion. "Oh whatever Yu I'll deal with this problem. Anyway these two seem good hearted wouldn't they want to help you if you where in trouble?" Trevor sighed sadly and turned to the door and nodded. "They would wana help me even if sometimes I can be annoying." Lek then pushed the tiger away toward the other room. "Good now go get her before something terrible happens." But the sound of a scream sounded alarms to the team. "LILY!" The raccoon, tiger and lion quickly ran out the room to the outside seeing two thugs dressed in black suits pushing Lily into a car. "Hey let her go!" But it was to late as they drove off leaving the three behind. "No Lily needs our help."

"But where did they go?"

"I have an idea but we need help." Yuvin looked down to the two. "Go grab your parents and Lily's parents and give then this note." The lion gave the two three notes. "Ok now get moving NOW!"

"R-right." The two then quickly ran off leaving the lion to grab his car. _"Hold on Lily I'm coming to help."_

* * *

**Unknown location**

The raccoon began to wake. The room was slightly dark with only a crack from a door giving her enough light to see the room slightly. "W-where am I?" She then noticed she was tied to a chair. "Ah great what now?"

"Now you will suffer." She turned seeing Artair in the shadows holding someone. "Who is that? What are you gonna do!?"

"For now miss Cooper you should worry about yourself." The bear walked backwards laughing. The sound of a door closing indicating the bear left upon that sound the lights came on Lily saw what was going on. "Oh crap." She was between two large drills which began to activate, moving slowly toward her. "Oh you twisted evil!" She tried to struggle but it was no use she was stuck. "Come on girl think there's got to be a way out." Lily looked around but couldn't find anything that might help. "So this is it? The end... this sucks I thought I'd go out with a bang at least." The door in front of her blasted open, from the smoke came Yuvin who quickly ran to the drills controls. "Yuvin! Boy am I glad to see you!" He turned the giant drills off.

"We have not time for this Lily." The lion ran to her, untiring her from the chair. "Why what's happening?"

"Artair's captured Bethany!" Lily turned to him shocked but then grew angry. "If he harms her I'll make sure he pays!"

"Good but first let's find him."

"How did you find me anyway?" Yuvin the grabbed Lily's arm and pulled her to the door, they then ran down the hall. "You see I knew about several places the Boars had I thought this would be the best place to search first. I told both Bethany and Trevor to tell their and your parents. Thought it be nice to bring backup but unfortunately I received word that one of Artair's men captured Bethany while she was getting to her house."

"So that person Artair was holding must have been Beth."

"At least we know she's here. The problem is what's he going to do with her." The two stopped at a door in front of them, both stood at the sides listening. "I can't hear anything." Yuvin the placed his hand on the door and counted. "One, two, three. Go!" He pushed the door open and the two stormed in seeing Bethany on a table with both her legs and arms shackled to it. "Ah you have arrived just in time to see miss Cooper have a barbeque."

"What's that suppose to mean!?" Lily turned seeing a flamethrower emerging from the darkness pointing at Bethany. "Let's just say when I'm done Bethany will be barbeque raccoon with a side s'mores being you two." Artair then prepared to activate the flamethrower but Yuvin quickly ran over and punched him, he turned to Lily. "Quickly rescue Bethany now!"

"Right!" Lily ran to the table seeing Bethany was unconscious, she tried to wake her up but nothing seemed to work. "Ok I need to find a way to unlock these shackles. Hmm maybe the control panel over by those two?" Lily then ran to panel but before she could even get a look she was chucked to the side by the bear. "Now where was I? Oh yes time to die Cooper!" Yuvin the grabbed him once again. "Lily anytime would be nice."

"I'm working on it." She got up and moved to the panel examining it. "I don't know what to press. Maybe this one?" She pressed a button which sent the flamethrower up. "Not that one maybe this one." She pressed another button which moved it down. "Nope." Lily was kicked to the side as the bear laughed. "On second thought I like to deal with you first after all it was your mother and your uncle who killed my mentor."

"Wait Desmond was your mentor?" The bear picked her up and squeezing her neck tightly. "Yes he was but don't worry Cooper I'll avenge his death by killing you an eye for an eye as they say." He tightened his grip as Lily struggled to breath. "Any last words Cooper?" Lily then went limp making the bear smile. "Just what I wanted to hear goodbye." He prepared to kill the raccoon but was struck by a blast from behind. "Who dares hit me!?"

"I dare criminal!" The fox walked in front aiming her shock pistol at the bear. Sly, Rivia, Kyle, and Malcolm followed behind all armed and ready to attack. "Please you think I'm afraid of you? I have what I want right here, your daughters and your friend." Trevor then ran in and saw Bethany, he quickly ran to the table. "Beth wake up, wake up come on!"

"What's this? Yes your the other child, my men lost you that explains why your all here. No matter one wrong step and both the girl's die." The team gritted their teeth seeing the bear had the advantage until he dropped Lily. "She is of no use to me anymore." He kicked the raccoon in the gut sending her flying at the gang. "LILY!" Rivia ran to her daughter, lifting her up in her arms making sure if she's ok. "What do you want Artair? We know you've been watching us what's your plan?" Artair laughed and before Yuvin could grab him again Artair grabbed the lion by the throat. "My, my so full of energy I's thought you would have stayed down by now oh well I'll have to do something about that." He then snapped the lions neck with easy shocking everyone, his body flopped to the ground as Artair spat on his coupes. "Useless anyway traitors deserver a traitors death." Artair's looked up seeing Rivia attacking with her staff but he stopped her attack, grabbing the staff. "Oh my this is the girl who killed helped Desmond. Hmm pity I guess he was weaker then I thought." The bear pulled the staff out of her hands and kicked the leopard to the team. He examined the staff quickly. "Piece of garbage if you ask me, to think he was after the Meadow legacy which turned out to be this." He then snapped it right in front of the gang. "M-my family's legacy gone." Rivia punched the ground in anger, she got up and charged at the bear. "I'LL MAKE YOU PAY FOR THAT!" Rivia manage to punch him but it didn't really do anything. "Is that all?"

"Oh shit!"

"Shit indeed." Artair punched her as hard as he could sending her flying to the gang, he then moved to the control panel. "I think are little game is over now so let's end it." He then pressed the button activating the flamethrower. Hearing this Lily got up quickly, without thinking she grabbed Sly's cane and waked one of the shackles braking it. "It works!" She quickly broke the others and pushed the raccoon of the table. Bethany then woke up seeing Lily above her. "Goodbye Cooper."

"Lily look out!" Lily heard Bethany's words and saw weapon in front of her was about to fire. Realising she had no time she tried to move but it was to late the fire burst out burning her face. The raccoon screamed out in pain whilst grabbing a hold of her burned skin while Rivia screamed in horror. Malcolm angrily ran to the bear punching him and braking the panel shutting off the weapon. "Quickly we need to get Lily to a hospital now!" Rivia grabbed her daughter and ran out the room, Sly picked up Bethany and the rest followed behind. "Please hold on Lily. Just hold on!

* * *

**At the hospital**

The gang waited impatiently for any news. "Hey guys where here!" The team turned to see Murray as well as both Bentley and Penelope. "Hey you three how's it going?"

"It's been ok but that's not important. How's Lily doing?" The turtle could see the leopard starring out into space there was nothing it was like all the life from her was sucked out. "Rivia how are you doing?" She shooked her head and rubbed her face. "My daughter could be dying in that room how do you think I am!"

"Riv please she won't die!"

"How do you know!? If you acted sooner rather then when it actually happened we could have been home right now!" What she said was true Malcolm began to tear up. "I-I just... Please be ok Lily I won't forgive myself if anything happens to you." A nurse walked to the group. "Your daughter is ok. Would you like to see her?" The two nodded with delight. "Just to say the hospital rules say your only allowed up to two people I'm afraid."

"It's ok why don't we take turned for now why don't me and Malcolm go in." They all agreed and the two followed the duck."

The nurse opened the door letting the two enter first with the doctor inside ready to explain the damage. "My little girl." Malcolm felt like he could punch himself for not saving her as he watch Lily lay on the bed silently with her eyes closed. her left side of her face was bandaged up, her hair was also singed off. "She was very lucky Mr and Mrs Tilden." Rivia rolled her eyes. _"God I hate having to use these fake names."_

"I afraid to say she may be blind on her left side we will have to do some tests to be sure. For now though she will be ok but the fire has scarred her face."

"Scarred her?"

"With time the scar will heal but it will not go as for hair it should grow back over time until then when she goes back home I recommend applying this cream everyday until around three months. This should help heal the scar and reduce the appearance." Rivia took the cream and the doctor left. "I'd advice you let her get some rest will call you when she wakes up."

"Thank you but will wait." The rabbit nodded and walked away with the raccoon and leopard watching her sleep. "Hey how she doing?" The two turned to see both Bethany and Trevor at the door. "She's sleeping." The two walked in, Bethany saw her on the bed and began tearing up while Trevor just looked at her in horror. "The doctor said she'll be ok so there's no need to worry."

"But this is all my fault. If I didn't get captured and taken then she wouldn't have."

"That's enough Beth." She turned to Rivia. "What happened has happened we have to let this go. If your going to blame someone blame Artair. He was the one who did this, he pressed the button which would have hurt or killed you. If it wasn't for Lily you would be in this position right now." Bethany then walked to the bed and grabbed Lily's hand. "I hope you can hear me Lil I want to say thanks for saving me."

"Y-y-your."

"S-she's speaking." The four got closer to her. "Your welcome. But you owe me." She smiled and then looked around the room. "Where am I and why can't I see out of my other eye?"

"Lily the doctor said you suffered bad burn damages, they would heal but they have scarred your face and you may be blind in your left eye."

"Blind? Scarred? Just when I play the hero ha." Lily turned seeing Bethany crying on the bed. "I'm so sorry Lily I should have been stronger I should be the one in this bed."

"No don't say that I'm the one who should say sorry. If we told Mum and the others sooner then none of this would have happened."

"Told us what?" Bethany wiped her eyes and turned to the two. "It's a long story but I'll tell you when we see the others."

"Why don't you go now, I feel a bit tired anyway." Lily yawned and closed her eye. "Sleep tight Lily see you later." The four left the room letting the raccoon sleep.

* * *

**Lily's dream**

Lily opened her eyes seeing the glittering lights again. "Hey I'm ok, how is that possible?" The raccoon could her laughter coming from behind her, she saw the ball of light gently touching the dark floor transforming into the white raccoon._ "You should know by now these are your dreams. In your dreams anything could happen. From changing the world you dream in to your own appearance."_

"I'm gonna guess you know what happen to me."

_"Yeah I'm very sorry Lily but right now there are more important things going on."_

"Right me getting burned and potentially blinded in one eye is not important." Lucem then touched the floor with her hand and changed it showing an image. "Hey that's uncle Bentley's house."

_"Yes but that's not the important part it's this."_ The image changed to show Vitalis. "It's that weird robot."

_"You know her?"_ Lily nodded. "Yeah we talked yesterday she the one who told me about Clocklord and the other dimension that mum and the others came from. So what's up?" After the robo raccoon left along with Bentley leaving Penelope alone a black whirl appeared. "Hey it's that raccoon again."

"_Yes for some reason she's taken a liking too certain people. I don't know why but so far I only counted Penelope and your father."_

"What does it all mean?"

_"I haven't a clue but I believe we should keep a close eye on both Bentley and Penelope as well as Vitalis."_ Lily then felt a strange feeling and grabbed her face. "What's wrong with me? My face hurts!?"

_"Your most likely thinking about the events that happened today. It's best you don't think about it, until then I'll search for anything regarding to her." _Before Lucem walked off Lily turned around, grabbing her attention. "I want to know the truth and before you say anything I know that raccoon is more then just a split copy of you." Lucem turned and sighed. _"Your right, I didn't say anything because it didn't seem appropriate at the time." _

"Appropriate at the time? What made you think that!? Look just tell me as much as you can, I need to know what I'm up against." Lucem nodded at the raccoon. _"It was after I dealt with Clocklord. I used whatever energy to seal him away inside an orb of energy this was just before I sent your mother and the others to this dimension. but something happened, something I could not expect. As I set it down Clocklord began to wake up it's eyes fixated on me, I then split myself in two and set the other me into this dimension to keep guard... But this is what he wanted, I should have known how cunning he was."_

"What do you mean?"

_"You see Clocklord was originally called Clockwerk, before he changed into his metal body he was organic. Each of his metal body parts have a significances to him, his eyes have the power to freeze people in fear. However after absorbing so many Clockwerk's Clocklord's parts changed as well, his eyes are able to brainwash people even take control of his victims bodies and do as he please."_

"Whoa and can this get any worse?"

_"There are two things that makes this much worse. One Clocklord has control of the shades body which means his power is inside of her including his powers to manipulate people. Second this split form is most likely the most powerful piece of myself."_

"Wait what!?

_"You see there was four of us. Three normal versions and one her name was Shade, she was on the verge of death and the only way to save her was to absorb her into a new form this created me. The one piece I ripped out was Shade meaning she will most likely be more then you can handle."_ Strangely upon hearing that name something sparked inside Lily. "S-Shade? Why do I know that name?"

_"Who knows perhaps it could be a coincidence. For now I shall retreat back to the other dimension and come back." _

"Wait how long will you be gone for!?" Lucem created a hole leading to the dimension and turned to her. _"I have no idea the next time I see you could be a year, two maybe ten who knows theses dimension holes do mess things around. But I promise I shall returned never forget this world is in a lot of danger and you are it's only hope." _Lucem then walked into the vortex and the world grew dark as the gentle lights began to go out one by one.

_"Without light there can only be darkness."_ Lily then felt a brush of coldness hit her forming the black tornado in front of her forming the dark raccoon. "And yet even in the darkest of nights a light can shine and cast out the dark." She began to chuckle. _"You sound just like your mother so full of hope yet she couldn't save me just like she can't save you."_

"If your trying to convince me what happened today was mums fault your mistaken."

_"Well your mistaken then I was talking about your future."_ Lily shook her head in denial. "I-I don't believe you! How can you tell the future!"

_"Well after all it happened before a death of what's to come surly your not this stupid. You must know who I am!?"_

"Your Shade one of the people mum travelled with is there more to it then!?"

_"More? Yes more then you know I wonder why Rivia is it? Would not tell you the truth then again the truth can be ugly epically when you can brush them aside to be ignored." _Lily just gave a confused glare at her. "I have no idea what your on about just tell me what's going on!"

_"Ha to think that what I was like when I was young." _The raccoon then stepped backwards constantly shaking her head. "No, no it can't be. YOUR LYING!"

_"Hmm come now child what would I get out of lying to you except that expression priceless. Besides wouldn't Lucem tell you the truth oh that's right she's basically just like mother always thinking of what's best for the situation." _

"SHUT UP!" Lily ran at her and attempted to punch Shade but on the hit she vanished into darkness and appeared behind her. _"Honestly Lily if you think you can kill me your sadly mistaken. I have the power of Clocklord inside of me I can control how everything works in this world if I designer including your dreams. But I have wasted enough time in this place I have bigger things to deal with."_

"Like what!" Shade smiled and turned to her _"Let's just say I make the world happy in exchange I revive a god." _The dark raccoon then punched the air creating a vortex. _"Goodbye Lily. When we meet next I'll want to see if you've improved." _She entered the vortex leaving the raccoon quivering. "This-this can't be real. That's me from another dimension. I have to kill her to save this dimension." Dought began to take over her, she looked at her hands seeing them shake. "I-I can't do this."

_"Don't say that." _Upon hearing the voice Lily was about to turn. _"Don't turn please. I don't want to be seen."_

"Lucem is that you?"

_"No but I was apart of her. Please you know who I am listen to you heart and you'll know." _Lily then felt a strange presence behind her it felt warm, it was exactly like the feeling she felt when she first saw Shade in her room. Without moving she did as it said and after awhile she knew the answer. "Your the original Shade the uncorrupted one. But how are you even here?"

_"I'm not really here. You see this is your dream you began to think of Shade and you created me in a image you can only see. Please Lily we are the same I may be just a part of your mind but the real Shade would want to be free."_

"But how? I can never compete with her she's way to strong." The raccoon smiled and then looking up at the sky. _"Please take up my name take up your legacy and become what you where meant to be."_

Lily woke up in the hospital bed with her family around her. "Lily how are you feeling?" She looked at her mother. "My name is no longer Lily."

"Lily what are you talking about?" She then got out of the bed, pulling out the needle from her arm and took a few steps away from the bed. "Lily what's gotten into you? Get back into the bed."

"Like I said my name is no longer Lily." She walked to the nearby window looking into the night sky. _"I have been reborn to stop a threat that harms my family and friends." _She then turned to her mother and the others who gave concerned looks at her. "My name is Shade."

* * *

**Another chapter down and a whole lot more to go. I hope you've been enjoying so far until then next part bye! **


	4. Teenage troubles

**Two years past by for everyone. Lily recovered from the experience but was left scarred both physically and mentally. Most of her two years she spent training on her own and with her father who felt guilty and kept her close by. All the while Lily kept dreaming of the day in that hospital room playing the scene over and over.**

* * *

**Flashback**

"W-what are you talking about Lily?" She turned angrily to her father. "My name is no longer Lily it's Shade."

"How can I stop using your real name. Come on honey what's gotten into you?" The two agued for a time until Lily pointed to the door. "Go I don't want to see you till tomorrow!"

"I'm not leaving you young lady!"

"I SAID GO!" The anger in her voice was different it scared Malcolm, his little girl changed in just a couple of days. He left the room with no words leaving Rivia alone with her daughter. "L-Lily please."

"Like I told dad mum. My name is Shade."

"Fine "Shade" what happened to you? You just fall asleep for a couple of hours and then this happens. Please tell me." She shook her head and sighed. "I'm sorry I can't tell you not yet." Without any words the leopard understood she turned and left the room, before she opened the door to leave she turned again to her daughter. "If you need help please don't hesitate to ask me."

"Thanks but I won't need help." Rivia turned, tears formed in her eyes as she opened the door and left the room.

* * *

**Rivia's house.**

The raccoon woke up gazing at her roof. Slowly she got up and looked around the room. "Feels weird to think that was two years ago it almost feels like it was just yesterday." Her room was the same as it was before with a few more things. She had a new wardrobe and a drawer with a mid-size mirror in the middle. Lily then walked to the drawer and sat down on the chair looking at herself in the mirror. "Look at yourself your a monster no one would ever like the real you." She then grabbed the key on the drawer and unlocked the third draw down and pulled out half a mask. "That's why you wear this to hide yourself." She placed it on the scarred side of her face and looked at herself again. "No one can see the real me cause the real me is dead. It had to be so I can stop her." Lily got off the chair and walked to the side of the bed picking up her binocucom. She gazed at it for a few seconds. _"This could use a few tweaks."_ She grabbed a screwdriver off the floor and began to examine the device quickly. "There finished." The binocucom had changed over the two years, what was Sly's old worn blue binocucom had changed into a dull purple colour with some stickers attached to the sides to give it more personality.

(Knock, knock) "Lily it's time for school." She turned still annoyed no one calls her by the name she gave herself. "Mum my name is Shade!"

"I know honey but it hard to stop calling you by the name you where born with. Look you better get ready cause you'll be late." Rivia walked away from the door hoping the teen would call her back but Lily didn't call. Just as she walked to her room she remembered the same day but only that name was haunting her. _"Shade... Why do I know that name?" _She sat down on the bed and stared off to the distents pondering on the name.

"You ok Riv?" The leopard turned seeing Malcolm walking into the room. "Yeah just thinking is all. Have you talk too her yet?" The raccoon shooked his head while he sat next to her. "No every time I go near her she remains quiet even when I take her to the grotto. And when we train she just nods and grunts."

"I'm worried Malcolm what if, what if she's like this and doesn't go back to her old self?" Malcolm reassured the leopard and hugged her. "It's ok it's apart of growing up. She's just confused is all." Rivia gave no response as they sat there. _"I hope your right Malcolm. Cause "Shade" won't go so easily." _

* * *

**The school**

After dealing with Artair who sadly got away from Interpol, the school was returned to Markus who made sure to send agents that will not defect or harm any of the children. Lily had became a name for the children who know her as Shade however the teachers find it childish and still call her by her real name.

The raccoon walked into the school, she quickly saw something on the corner of her eye. "Give me your money or I break your arm!"

"No please Kasey I don't have any I swear!" The tiger then grabbed the little cat who began to panic as she smiled. "Then I guess you'll won't need your arm then."

"HEY KASEY!" The lion turned with a snarl. "Well if it isn't the goody too shoes Shade." Lily walked forward towards the lion. "If your gonna pick on little kids then I guess your more perfetic then I thought."

"What did you say!"

"You heard me. What are you poor then again judging by the look of your clothes over the years I guess it's true." Kasey growled and attempted to punch the raccoon but Lily caught the punched shocking the crowed around her. "Please just walk away Kas and you want have another broken tooth to add to your collection."

"Why should I you little bitch." Lily then smiled and stepped backwards a bit and pushed the lion to the floor, she walked over to the side and looked down at her. "Honestly Kas you need another line of work. Terrifying little kids is beneath you. Maybe you should try shoplifting. Then again you'll probably do a terrible job at that too." Without thinking the tiger quickly got up and turned the raccoon around and punched her removing the mask covering the scarred part of her face. "Why should I take advice from a ugly freak like you!" The crowed gasped and walked away as a teacher made her way to the two. "What the hell is going on here!?"

"She started it!"

"I don't care who started it! Detention both of you!" While Kasey grunted Lily quickly picked up her mask and placed it back on. "I expect you both in my class after school got it!?"

"The two nodded and watched her leaved, the lion then punched the raccoons arm. "I don't believe this! You could have ignored me for one day but you have to intervene did ya!" Lily looked at her and just turned silently, walking off. "Hey I'm talking to you." Kasey grabbed Lily's shoulder but the raccoon turned to the tiger and grabbed her neck. "Understand this I despise people who take advantage of the weak and I will help those who need me. I will not hesitate to do the unthinkable if needed to." She removed her hand from the tigers neck and walked of leaving her. "What the hell happened to her?"

Lily made it to her class seeing the entire class seated. "Your late, again miss Cooper." Lily ignored the goose and proceed to her seat next to a male turtle and a male dog. "Ok class today is science. You'll be going outside to collect object to study in teams. I'll give you specific thing to look for in your teams and then you'll bring them back to examine them under a microscope." Just like most teenagers the class didn't really care but the thought of leaving the class room was enough for the class to get up and moving. "Ok team one will be Trevor, Katy, and Paul. Team two shall be Wendy, Bethany, and Mark. Team three will be Matt, Lily, and Henry. and lastly team four will be Luke, Natalie, and Jake. Ok I'll give the leader of the team a piece of paper with the items you'll be looking for and you get the idea." The class got out one by one, as they left to go outside the room Lily, Bethany, and Trevor join together quickly. "I hate it when she does this. I wish we could work together."

"It's not so bad for you anyway I have to deal with that annoying Katy girl."

"Doesn't she have a crush on you?" The tiger quickly coughed and changed the subject. "So Lily how ya been?"

"It's Shade Trev. You know this by now." The tiger shooked. "Fine Shade. How have you been?"

"Not bad... I've got detention for helping another kid this morning."

"What again. Why do you do this to yourself? I mean you where so free spirited. The worst a day could get you'd make a joke but now something bad happens you just have no emotion towards it." The raccoon turned to Bethany. "Are you saying I have no emotions?"

"I'm saying after the whole incident with Artair you've been acting weird and we're getting worried."

"Well thanks but you don't need to worry I'm fine." Lily turned and crashed into someone. "Hey watch where you going." She looked up and her eyes widened upon seeing the boy that she meet two years ago. "I'm sorry I'm late for my class, the rooms C2 I think?"

"T-that's our class." He looked up at Lily and began smiling. "Hey it's you I think? Lily is it?" The raccoon nodded and before she could get up the dingo got up and offered his hand to her. "Sorry about that I didn't think I actually see you again after all this time." Lily looked at his hand and then grunted, getting up her self. "Thanks but no thanks I don't need help. It was nice seeing you though." She walked off leaving Derik with Bethany and Trevor. "W-what's wrong with her?"

"She's been like this for a long time." He turned to the racoon. "What happened to her then?" She shooked her head sadly. "It's not really my place to say it's best you ask her yourself."

"I guess it's the only thing to do right?"

"You could just ignore her and walk away." Bethany then punched Trevor's arm. "Don't say stuff like that about her."

"So how do you guys know about her?"

"Well we're family. I'm Bethany and this is Trevor we're her cousins from two different family's." The dingo shook raccoon's hand and then the tigers hand. "Nice to meet you guys."

"Well we best be going then."

"Yeah don't want Trev's girlfriend waiting."

"AH she is not my girlfriend! Besides there's..." Bethany turned with a sly look on her face. "There's someone else? Who?" Trevor turned away from Bethany who still smiled. "Is it someone in the class? Or someone closer to home?"

"S-SHUT UP! It's not like that!" Bethany laughed and walk off. "Don't have to get so defensive I won't tell any of the girls in the class." He took a deep breath and breathed out with relive. _"For a second there I thought she knew." _He then ran down the hall catching up to the group.

* * *

**Outside the school**

"Ok kids go and collect the items." The teams all split up with the exception of Derik who arrived late. "Uh excuse me but I'm new to the class. My names Derik Brown."

"Nice to meet you. My name is miss Rainer." The goose shooked the dingo's hand and pointed to Lily. "Miss Cooper would you come here please." Lily grunted and walked to the goose. "Yeah?" She then noticed the dingo next to her. _"Not him again." _

"Would you take care of Derik for the day, show him around."

"Does that mean I can skip class for the minute?" She looked at her watch and sighed. "Fine you can go. But show him around quickly. I expect you two to be back for the next lesson understood?" The two nodded and quickly ran into the building with both Bethany and Trevor taking note.

_"Please don't be harsh on him Lil."_

_"He's toast."_

* * *

**Back inside the school**

Lily along with the dingo walked around the school, pointing out the most important parts which Derik needed to know about. The two kept walking down a hall with Lily bored. "Uh Lily?" She turned to the dingo. "I'll let you of for that cause your new to the group but my name is Shade got it."

"Ok well umm I wanted to asked something."

"Ok shoot." The dingo rubbed the back off his neck. "Well you see I only met you two years ago but you told me something."

"And that was?"

"That I should find someone who I can talk to who isn't like everyone else here." Those words rang in her mind however she quickly shook the sentence off. "I must have been a stupid kid two years ago then."

"What no you weren't it was you that helped me stand up from myself." But the raccoon showed no care towards the dingo. "Look I just wanted to say thanks."

"Whatever." Just as she prepared to leave Derik gathered up his courage and asked. "What happened to you?" Lily began to get angry, she tightened her fist and turned. "Why do you care so much!? You don't know me, so why should you care!?"

"I-I"

"I thought so." The raccoon turned around and walked off leaving Derik standing alone. Lily on the other hand while walking away began thinking to herself. _"Can't believe I did that to him. Did he really deserve that? What does it matter now." _She sighed and just kept walking with the dingo running behind her.

The two made it back to the classroom just in time as the class all made it back. "Ah on time from once Cooper. So did you show him around or did you slack off." The raccoon just walked into the room silent. "Always the same answer. So did she show you around?" Rainer turned to Derik who nodded. "Yeah she showed me around just fine." He turned and gave a sad look at Lily. _"She looks so depressed and why does she wear that thing on the side of her face?" _He just walked in and looked around seeing only one seat left at the back right next to Bethany. He walked to the back catching the raccoons attention. "Hey Bethany is this seat taken?"_ Bet_hany then smiled warmly to him. "It's ok no one sits here, we're all in a seating plan anyway but I don't think Rainer would mind anyway." Derik smiled and sat down talking with the raccoon, they had a lot in common with each other that they would talk about. Though out the lesson when they both work and finished they'd comment on there favourite things like TV, video games, and many other things. The bell rang and the class all left quickly except Lily, Trevor, Bethany, and Derik. "So what do you guys do for fun?" Bethany turned to Lily. "So can we tell him?" Lily look at the dingo and the turned away. "Fine we can take him but he better but tell anyone."

"I-I promise I won't tell a soul, promise." Bethany then grabbed his hand and then ran off pulling him along. "Never thought I could see Beth like that it sickening." Trevor turned to Lily with a concerned look. "W-what do you mean!?"

"Can't you tell Mr "love expert." She clearly fancy's him makes me feel sick just looking a them." The tiger just looked on seeing the raccoon turning the corner with the dingo. "Hmm what's got you all worked up?"

"N-nothing let's just get going before someone sees us" The two the left the room and catch up to Bethany and Derik who made there way to the abounded part of the school.

* * *

**The abounded school building**

"Wow what is this place!?"

"This was apparently another part of the school until it was destroyed by natural causes. But rumors has it this places is haunted hence why people don't come here." The dingo turned with a fearful look. "Uuuhhh... Is it haunted?" Bethany began laughing and slapped his shoulder. "Don't worry about it we came here so many times that if there is a ghost he'd probably stay away from us cause of miss sulky pants behind us."

"I HEARD THAT YOU BITCH!" The two began laughing until Derik stopped and turned to Bethany. "Can I ask you something important?"

"I guess what's up?"

"Well it's about Lily." Bethany turned and just sighed. "Go ahead and ask."

"Well what happened to her? I asked and well she." Bethany nodded knowing exactly what he meant.

"You see something happened to her two years ago. She was hurt real bad, she was burned on her face that's why she wears that mask on the left part of her face. To hide the "monster" that she is. If it wasn't for her I would be in the exact same way or dead." The dingo gave a sympathetic look to the raccoon behind her. "What? What are you looking at!?"

"N-nothing I'm sorry."

"Lily what's wrong with you he was just feeling sorry for you what's up with that?!"

"Well feel sorry then I don't need petty sympathy, uh forget this I'm going back."

"Don't be like that Lily! Please just stay."

"Whatever I going back to the school." Knowing she wouldn't win Bethany just let the raccoon leave. "Aren't you gonna stop her?"

"There be not point. Once she gets an idea in her head or she plans to do something she gonna do it." Derik just looked on as Lily walked away from them. _"I hope we can talk normally like before."_

* * *

**Outside the school**

The day went by quickly and the four walked out of the school. "So where do you live Derik?"

"Just down the room from here. It's lucky cause I get to sleep in a bit and make it on time."

"We live down that way to. Come on let's go." Bethany grabbed his arm and the two ran off ahead. Lily could see Trevor's face was upset more then usual. "Trevor is there something you want to tell me?"

"W-what? No, no there isn't."

"You've been acting quite strangely the past two years especially around Beth."

"And your point is?" Lily turned looking at the raccoon with the dingo. "I have no point I was just making an observation but if I didn't know better I'd say you were jealous." The tiger turned surprised by the raccoon. "J-jealous of what those two pff."

"Your not say yes but your not saying no."

"I'm not jealous of those two being together." Lily nodded and turned to the tiger. "Fine I believe you."

"Y-you do?"

"Why shouldn't I besides I know your lying about something. It just doesn't bother me is all."

"COOPER!" Lily turned to see Rainer at the door. "Detention remember!?"

"Right, right I'll come in. I'll see you later. HEY BETH SEE YOU LATER!" She walked into the school leaving Bethany, Derik, and Trevor home.

The raccoon and the dingo where walking together with the tiger behind them "Is this what you life's like?"

"Give it awhile you haven't seen nothing yet." The dingo smiled at the raccoon who smiled back. "By that smile I'd say your having a good time."

"Well I guess I had more fun with you then the others. I hope we can do this tomorrow?" He reached his hand over to the raccoons hand causing Bethany to blush. "Sorry about this but this is my home so I better get in before I'm grounded."  
"I understand. I'll see you tomorrow then." The two wave by to each other and Bethany turned around seeing Trevor mopping. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothings wrong why does everyone keep saying that!" The tiger stormed off with Bethany running behind him. Trevor made it home and thudded on the door. "Look just answer me please Trev you've been really strange when Derik was with me." Kyle then opened the door. "Hey Beth-oh!" Trevor then ran past him leaving the older tiger to turned around. "Trevor what's the matter!?"

"I just want to be left alone is that to much!"

Kyle sighed and turned to Bethany. "It was nice seeing you Beth, be carful out there."

"Don't worry I've been learn self defence from mum." Kyle laughed and waved bye to the raccoon, now he had the difficult tasked of dealing with his son. "Trevor I want to talk with you."

"Go away!" But the tiger persisted and walked up the stairs to his room. "I told you to go away! Why can't you just do this for once.

"Cause that's not who I am, you should know this by now." Trevor then got off his bed and looked up at his father. "Yeah what do you want?"

"I've never seen you this upset before. What happened to you son?" He turned away from his father. "Nothing happened is what." Kyle knew he wasn't gonna win so he got off the bed and walked to the bed but before he left he turned. "What is it dad!?"

"Is it cause of you mother?" Trevor showed no movement. "It is isn't it."

"No... But I do wish she was here." Kyle walked back into the room again and sat on the teenagers bed. "Do you wana go visit later?" He nodded and turned to his father. "Is Rivia gonna be there?"

"Yeah she might be there. I don't know yet will see." The older tiger walked off leaving Trevor alone to his thought.

* * *

**Inside the school**

Both Lily and Kasey sat down inside the classroom. Both sat far apart from each other keeping silent. _"How long will we be I want to go." _The raccoon then saw a crumbled up piece of paper on her desk thrown by the tiger across from her, she opened it and read.

* * *

_Meet me behind the bins tomorrow._

* * *

Lily then quickly grabbed a pen from her pocket and wrote on the paper, chucking it to the tiger who quickly opened it.

* * *

_Sorry your not my type. Try the girl in B1 she's big and bulky._

* * *

Kasey then quietly growled under her breath and again wrote on the paper, throwing it to the raccoon who then opened it.

* * *

_I mean we're gonna fight tomorrow behind the bins after school when no ones looking._

* * *

Lily didn't show any emotion to the threat and chuckled to herself before turning to the tiger and nodded. _"Fine if it's a fight you want it's a fight you'll get. It's been a long time coming."_

The bell then rang and the two walked past each other when outside the classroom Kasey grabbed Lily's shoulder. "I expect to see you, don't disappoint me." The raccoon turned to her giving a serious look. "Oh don't worry I wouldn't miss it." She then walked off down the hall and opened the doors exiting outside, running home.

* * *

**Rivia's house**

Lily walked though the door and was greeted to her mother wearing a black dress. Rivia looked at her daughter and weakly smiled. "It's that day again. I'm going up the graveyard to visit her grave along with your uncle and Trevor. Do you want to come?" The raccoon showed no emotion to her mother and then walked past ignoring her. Before she attempted to say anything she stopped herself and turned opening the door. "Ok then I'll say you said hi. I'll be back later ok?" There was no response from the raccoon, Rivia just walked out, shutting the door and setted off to the graveyard.

* * *

**Graveyard **

The leopard made it and was greeted by both Kyle and Trevor. "Hey where's Lily?" Rivia just shooked her head in disappointment. "She didn't want to come. I have no idea what's with her but this isn't about her it's about Julie." Kyle took a deep breath, turned around then walked though the dark muddy lands until they found the grave. "I can't believe it's been over thirteen years now. It's still really hard. She was filled with life why, why would she..." Kyle then held his sister who then fell apart, Trevor then laid a single rose on the grave and sat down next to it. "Hey mum it's me again, last time I was up here was well a week ago. Just wanted to keep up with the visits after all today was the day it... happened. You probably know but I brought your favoret flower a rose. Dad told me you use to smell like them, he said. "No matter what happens I would hold her and just smell the scent." The young tiger placed his hand on the grass over the grave. "I wanted to say I wish you where here, you could help so much. You could say stuff like. "Everything's gonna be ok or It doesn't matter you can do better next time." Kyle then placed his hand on the young tigers shoulder. "She'd be very proud of you son,. You are everything she could have ever hoped for."

"Dad... Why did she you know?" Kyle turned to Rivia who nodded at him. He grabbed his son and walked him away letting his sister talk to Julie. "Your old enough to understand now I guess. You see we found out that she was pregnant with you but when she was giving birth we then found out you wasn't the only one."

"Not the only one. I had a brother or sister?" Kyle nodded and a tear fell from his eye. "During birth there where complications, your brother... died. We were grateful to have you Trevor but your mother developed depression. After putting you down to sleep, this was when you where one I found her on the floor. Her wrist was slit, blood was all around her and before I knew it she was rushed into an ambulance. Before they even got her in the hospital they pronounced her dead, their was nothing I could do their was nothing anyone could do but I always blamed myself for this. If I had kept an eye on her at the time I could have convinced her or at least tried to stop her until we could get help for her but." Trevor looked on at his father seeing the pain he had to suffer with for all these years, all the grieve he had to take. No one should have ever had to deal with such grieve. "Dad please this isn't your fault. How could you have known mum would have done that."

"Maybe but still I should have."

"That's not gonna help dad saying something like that." Kyle looked down to his son. "If you keep beating yourself up because of this your never gonna be happy. Even though mum may have me unhappy at the time. It doesn't mean she never want you to be happy?" The older tiger turned to the grave and wiped away the tears running down his face. "I-I don't know is I can son."

"You can dad you told me so many stories about you and mum. And I'll be here to support you along the way." The older tiger warmly smiled and took a deep breath in, then out. "Ok... I'll try. Thanks son if you weren't here I don't think I could ever be happy." The two hugged each other, Trevor gazed back at the grave fixated on the stone reading his mothers name. _"Don't worry mum I'll look after dad."_

* * *

**Back at Rivia's house**

Lily laid on her bed in the dark gazing up at the wall. _"I should have gone, paid my respects to Julie. No point in dwelling on it now I guess, besides there are more important things to deal with." _She got off the bed and walked to the chair and sat down looking into the mirror. She removed the mask and locked it in the last draw down and gazed back into the mirror. "Why did this ever happen to me? What did I ever do to deserve this?" She shooked her head and got off the chair and laid down in the bed.

_"Wonder what the time is?" _She looked up on the wall. "Seven o'clock weird feels like it's later." She just laid there silently as if she was waiting for something in particular to happen. In the silence all she could think about was Derik. "Stupid, stupid, stupid!" She then chucked her pillow across the room in anger. "Why do I keep thinking about idiot anyway!? God I feel so... weird around him like, like I can't be normal around him."

_"That's a first." _Lily then got off her bed and looked around the room. "Who's there?" The room glowed brightly. _"Tis only I. Was you expecting someone else?" _The white raccoon walked forward to her. "Lucem so Shade's nearby then."

_"Yes but this can only be but a moment. We must speak in you dreams quickly." _She nodded and quickly got on the bed and fell asleep.

* * *

**Lily dream**

The raccoon woke up in the dream world however she was surprised by what she saw. The dark space like world filled with lights had vanished and was replaced with a barren wasteland filled with ash, from the above little flakes of ash fell from the orange sky. "What the hell happened?"

_"Your the only one who can explain this. After all this is your dream."_ Lily turned upon hearing Lucem's voice again. _"It's good to return here again even though this place changed dramatically. So what's been happening after theses last...?"_

"Two years." The white raccoon gave a shocked look. _"Two years!? I've been gone far longer then I hoped."_

"And just what have you been doing exactly?"

_"I was tending to Clocklord's seal. If he was to break free from the orb I created then who knows what could happen. Whether he could break into this dimension or he goes on to destroy others. Or he finds the centre of time space." _

"I vaguely remember you mentioning this time space place, could you remind me again."

_"Of course. The centre of time space is a mysteries place, it is said that if one where to find this place they could control any event in time in other dimensions though out the universe of every dimension. However you are curious to what if Clocklord finds this place correct?" _The teenager nodded. _"If it was to find the centre of time space it would spell the destruction of everything."_

"But what does it desire? You say it craves destruction but why, what is it's goal?

_"It's intensions where to destroy the Coopers but it has been driven to madness. After absorbing the Clockwerk of your mothers dimension it began to lose itself. Clocklord mind deteriorated and would have destroyed anything, we feared it would have found a way into the centre of time space so we the three Lily's of that dimension and Shade combined to form me. I then used our combined powers and sealed it away while placing the spirits of your family and their friends in this dimension."_

"So this dimension you and Clocklord are trapped inside is the original dimension mum and the others came from?"

_"Correct. I sealed it there but we are trapped, by using both my and it's power I created a seal like that of the dimension wall. No one can come in or out the only reason Shade is in your dimension is because I split apart before closing the wall, Clocklord then possessed her and now he lost his power inside this dimension."_

"That explains a lot but one thing is bothering me. Why did you take two years just to repair the wall then returned expecting to have done it sooner?" Lucem turned gazing up at the bright orange sky. _"Yes I was quite surprised by that. The only explanation for that could be... That in the sealed dimension time passes fast exactly like the real dimension wall. However it seems this wall doe the opposite as time passes much slower, I was only there for a few days." _Lily turned around to the ashy waste. What is this place anyway?" Lucem crouched to the floor picking up a grain of ash, turning to the raccoon. _"This is you or your personality to be more precise."_

"My personality? So why does it look like this?"

_"I have been gone a long time so I haven't kept an eye on you. Most likely this place is a reflection on real world events. What happened to you in the time I was gone Lily?" _Lily turned with a more sterner look. "My names not Lily anymore it's Shade."

_"And why's that. I prefer calling you Lily then Shade." _

"Well...Because..." Lucem shook her head and smiled. _"You don't even have an answer to what you think you know. Look we don't have a lot of time left so I'll make this brief. Why the change of name?" _The raccoon crossed her arms, remaining silent. _"I see your not gonna tell me anything so I guess I'll just go and leave you to you typical teenage problems."_

"And what would you know about my problems!?" She then moved closer to the white raccoon. "You came to me in a dream about two years ago, telling me I'm the only hope to stop this threat. What am I suppose to do!?" Lucem then quickly grabbed the young raccoon's hand holding on tightly to her. _"Only you can answer that, only you can find a way to stop this. Listen not to me listen to yourself, to your friends and family they will guide you." _Her arm then glowed brightly as she let go off Lily's hand. "Wait please don't go!" But the light dimmed leaving her along in a world full of despair.

_"How disappointing I was expecting some kind of how'd say confrontation." _Lily grunted turning around to see Shade sitting down in the ash. "What are you doing here?"

_"Have you not forgotten I was part of Lucem I know where she goes so I know of this place. Besides I was the one who gave her the power to travel to dimensions anyway." _Lily stood her ground gazing at the dark raccoon. "So why are you here to."

_"Take pity on me?" _Lily gave a shocked look at the dark raccoon. "How the hell did you know what I was gonna say!?"

_"Oh come now dear Lily or should I say "Shade." We are one in the same in may different ways except I came from a different dimension. Because this dream dimension was created by Lucem that means I can tap into your mind." _Shade turned to look at Lily. Her eyes changed into a dark red as she smiled. _"I can think whatever you think and much more and right now your thinking trivial things. But wait what's this? Oh dear sweet Lily you make me laugh sometimes your thinking of a boy how sweet."_

"Shut up! SHUT UP!" Shade just laughed seeing the hate on the raccoon's face. _"It's ok to feel Lily after all I feel hate, pain, a longing to free the world of pain."_

"I don't care what you feel right now your just a psycho!"

_"That's it Lily feel the anger within let this hate consume you in a fire of rage." _The angry glare turned to a smile catching the dark raccoon by surprise. "I don't know why you want me to be angry but I'm not gonna. I refuse to be told by the likes of you how to feel!" Shade then growled and took a deep breath. _"Very well child have it your way. But I warn you your anger will come out and when it does I'll be there to witness it." _Shade then walked off into the ashy desert leaving Lily alone.

* * *

Morning came and the raccoon woke up. Getting out off the bed she walked over to the drawer and sat on the chair. "What's her plan? Why doe's she want me to get angry?" She looked into the mirror and placed a hand on her face. "I'll have to figure this out later. Today I have to deal with a pest."

* * *

**That ends another chapter. A lot of things to cover what's Shade planning? What's up with Trevor? And will Derik and Bethany get together? Who know but one things for sure when it comes to teenagers there's always gonna be drama. Thanks for reading until next time. **


	5. A price to pay

Lily opened the draw and grabbed her mask, placing it on herself. A knock came from the door alerting the teenager who then closed the draw and got up to answer. She opened the door to see her father standing there. "What do you want?"

"Look Lil... Shade. We haven't talked much and both me and your mother are worried sick." Lily just walked past him showing little care what so ever. Malcolm then grabbed her arm and gave a stern look. "Listen to me for once! I want you to be what you want to be, any parent wishes this for their children. But the way your acting, ignoring me, your mother, and even not showing any care towards Bethany and Trevor who have given you nothing but respect!" Lily then pulled her hand from the older raccoons grip and continued to walk away from him. "Sorry dad but I more important things to worry about then your "feelings." Malcolm tightened his fist knowing he couldn't do anything to stop the girl and choose to walk to his bedroom.

The raccoon angrily rushed in and punched the wall. _"Why? Why does that girl have to be so bloody hard to deal with!?" _But Malcolm calmed himself before noticing the dent in the wall. "Guess I don't really know my strength sometimes." He chuckled to himself before feeling a brush of cold wind behind him, he turned seeing nothing. "Whose there? Rivia is that you!?" No sound could be heard, Malcolm shrugged and turned noticing the dark raccoon on the bed "What the hell."

_"Do not be alarmed after all we met once already." _

* * *

**Outside the school**

The raccoon walked slowly, then stopped looking at the building in front of her. She took a deep breath and before she could take another step she was called from behind. "LILY!" She turned to see Bethany, giving an emotionless look to her cousin who ran to her. "What is it?"

"Nothings wrong Lil, we go to the same school I can say hi to you can I." Lily just turned around and prepared to walked away but was stopped by the young raccoon. "What's your rush?" Lily grew angry but held it in. "Nothing what's up then?"

"You wont believe this but Derik likes me." The older raccoon just crossed her arms and looked away. "And your point."

"My point is well he likes me as in like, "likes" me."

"I get what you mean Beth my point is why are you telling me this?"

"Because your family, your like my best friend. This is what best friends do right." Lily uncrossed her arms and walked off. "Well maybe you should find another "best friend." Bethany grunted and ran in front off her blocking her path. "Not this time Lily!" However Lily walked around her. "Cute maybe you should try that on that idiot Derik."

"What is wrong with you!? Ever since that day with Artair you've changed!" Lily stopped and turned glaring at her. "Go on say what your feeling, I don't care."

"Y... You where once this fun loving girl who everyone would love talking to. You wished to be with uncle Malcolm and my dad all the time but now you can't even talk to your dad without glaring." Bethany stared at the floor and then looked up seeing Lily before her and grabbing her by the throat, lifted her up. "S-STOP!"

"What do you know about me!? I made those chooses and I choose to become what I am. I gave up my childish self to become Shade." Lily dropped the raccoon to the ground and looked down at her the glare she gave Bethany send chills down her spine. "Get away from her!" Before she could turned Lily was sent flying to the ground. She looked up to see the dingo picking up Bethany. "What gives you any right!?" Lily got of the floor and smiled before walking off into the school. Derik grew more angry at the girl but Bethany grew more concerned and scared. "That smile? She would never smile like that even if someone deserved it she'd never smile so evil like."

"It doesn't matter now let's get inside and ignore her for today." The two walked in and didn't see Trevor behind them who watched them walking off leaving the tiger feeling depressed, he walked behind slowly.

* * *

**Inside the school**

The class where aware that Lily had grew more different even for her normal self, she sat quietly and gazed at the clock not even paying attention to the teacher. "LILY!" She turned to the goose with little care. "I asked you what the answer is." The raccoon looked to the board seeing the equation.

* * *

**If a=21 and b=34 what is a x b?**

* * *

She sighed and took a random guess. "Is the answer 526?" The goose was unimpressed. "Once again you haven't done your homework and you haven't paid attention the answer is 714. Detention at lunch." But once again the raccoons showed no anger what so ever she just stared up at the clock.

"What do you thinks wrong with her?" Derik whispered quietly to Bethany who shooked her head sadly. "I don't know, she won't tell us anything." The dingo just looked at her. _"What are you hiding?"_

The lessons went by quickly and lunch came but the raccoon remand inside the classroom. She sat quietly almost in a trance like state but was snapped out upon her name being called. "Lily, Lily!"

"What?" She looked down to see Trevor standing in front of her desk. "What do you want?"

"I wanted to know why you didn't go to the graveyard yesterday."

"I don't have to give you an explanation for that."

"Well it would have been nice to visit your aunts grave wouldn't it?"

"Hmpm I don't care what so ever she's gone and that's that." Trevor tightened his fist, controlling his rage he walked of and stopped at the door. "No wonder everyone stays away from you now. You just an unlikeable bitch!" As the tiger left Lily turned to the door and gave a sad look. "D-don't go." She grabbed her head and then bashed it on the desk. _"The hell is wrong with me!? Why am I being a bitter cow?" _The bell rang which caused the raccoon to shrug of the thought. "Only a hour or so and I can deal with Kasey."

**A****n hour later**

The classroom remand quiet working while Lily gazed up to the clock again. She watched the second hand go around again and again till the minute hand moved. She then looked down at her desk looking at the work she was doing. _"God this is so boring. I guess I haven't entirely changed inside as much." _The bell then rang and the raccoons personality changed she got up and left the room without the goose consent. "LILY COOPER!" But she ignored the teacher and continued to run until she reached her destination.

* * *

**Outside the school**

The raccoon watched as students both young and old where leaving while she walked into an ally which lead to the bins. She walked until she found the bins all lined up out the way. "Ok Kasey where are you?"

"Right here." The panda walked out of the shadows with a grin on her face. "Why so happy?" The panda then clicked her fingers which alerted two more girls to walk out. "I see, I remember you two the peacock who fashion sence was a lame as your personality."

"Fuck you bitch!"

"And the dog who focuses more on her hair them her other appearances. Like her face."

"Up yours you jealous cow!" Lily gave a smile however the smile wasn't the usual cocky smile. The one she gave to the three was more devilish. "I hope you realise I'm not gonna hold back because I afraid to hurt you. That was the old me, the new me well let's just say a little blood on my hands is nothing."

"I hope that wasn't a threat cause if it is. It was perfetic." Kasey charged at Lily but the raccoon nimbly slid down and punched the panda hard in the gut. "If that's the best you can do then it was perfetic." The peacock then picked up a wooden chair, breaking it to grab the leg. "Well what'ch gonna do against someone with a weapon." She charged but Lily punched her in the face, taking the wood from her hand and waking her with it. The Alsatian gave a shocked look at the raccoon. "D-don't come any closer!" She pulled out a gun from her pocket and smiled. "I'm packing heat so stay where you are!"

"Oh I'm so scared I guess I should crouch on the ground." She the rolled up into a ball and quickly charged at the dog knocking her over. "Roll technic from the Thievius Raccoonus and it never gets old." She picked up the pistol and aimed it at the dog. "No please don't do it." The dogs quivering made the raccoons skin crawl reminding her when she was at the hands of Artair. She chucked the gun to the floor and began to walk away from the three. "Just remember. Don't fuck with me again understood!?" The dog nodded quickly as she whimpered, getting up to see if the other two where ok, Lily walked out of the ally thinking to herself.

_"Why is this happening to me? Two years ago I felt like I was in control of myself and now I... I'm not even me anymore I'm Shade." _She made it out of the darkness and into the bright light seeing Bethany, Derik, and Trevor standing talking to each other. She quickly kept out of site and listened in on their conversation.

"What the hell is with her!? She's getting on my nerves."

"You said it. She nothing like she was back then."

"And that's the thing that scares me. Why is she being like this, even if we found out she'd refuse our help anyway."

Lily just stood there listening to there argument and tightened her fists. _"Talking behind my back what bastards!" _She walked out from her hiding spot and walked to the three. "So like to talk about people when you think there not listening." The three turned seeing the angry raccoon. "L-Lily?... You heard everything?"

"Yes and I can take a hint when I'm not wanted." She then walked away from the three. "Good riddance I say." Bethany shooked her head and ran after her. "NO WAIT!"

"Bethany!" Both Derik and Trevor couldn't stop her and just watched her run after her. The two decided to just go home.

* * *

The tiger and dingo then began to talk as they walked home.

"So you and Beth huh."

"What about me and her?"

"I was wondering is all, you just seem..." The dingo gave a confused look. "Well are you interested in her?"

"What!?"

"Like I said. Are you interested in her?" The dingo blushed. "I don't know I mean she's pretty, we like a lot of the same stuff and well you know." The tiger nodded. "Yeah I get it so do you like her?"

"Well I guess if I had to say yes I do." Trevor bit his lip and turned. Derik stopped. "Well I'm home, I'll see you later."

"Yeah I guess I better go home I'll see you later." Trevor ran off leaving Derik to think for a moment before going inside. _"Me and Bethany together? I like her but does she like me?"_

* * *

Bethany followed behind the angry raccoon who knew she was following behind. "Would you stop following me!"

"Not until you let me apologise!"

"When are you going to get it into your head that I don't give a damn!"

"Please just let me explain then." Lily turned to the younger raccoon glaring down at her. "I will only tell you this one last time. Leave me alone or I will make you suffer." She turned and continued walking home leaving Bethany more determined to follow but this time in the shadows.

Lily made it home not knowing that Bethany had followed behind her, the raccoon then looked at the house and began planning. "Ok her room is on the top right side, luckily there's a tree near the house so I can climb up and get into the room that way." She crept over to the house staying out of sight and made it to the tree. She looked up and grinned. "Perfect ok now I just wait until the right time." Bethany then crawled to the side of the building and gazed thought the window observing the inside. "Wait where's Lily? All I see is uncle Malcolm and auntie Rivia." She look up at the window and nodded. "Ok thieven skills don't let me down." She then climbed up the tree and gracefully flipped onto the branch, taking a peek into Lily's room. Bethany drew closer to the window seeing her cousin at her drawer looking into the mirror. "What is she doing?" Bethany could see she was talking. "Damn if only I could hear her." But the raccoon got of her chair, alerting the younger raccoon who quickly jumped onto the roof. Lily opened the window looked outside.

"I don't understand? Why has she been appearing, why does she keep coming to me?"

_"Coming to her? Does she mean Kasey?" _As Lily walked away from the window Bethany jumped back onto the branch and drew closer to the window but was caught off guard when Lily pulled her in from the side. "I thought I told you to leave me alone." Before she could say anything to Bethany Lily's attention was caught by something. "No not now! Not with you here!"

"What are you talking about? What's going on Lily!?" Bethany turned seeing the orb of light floating to the ground. "What the hell is that?"

_"It appears we have a guest today Lily." _The orb changed to the white raccoon amazing the younger raccoon. "The white raccoon you mentioned before, no one believed you but I knew something was up. What's really going on with you two?" Lucem walked to her, raising her hand out. _"The only way to find out is to experience it for yourself." _Hesitant at first Bethany took a deep breath and then grabbed the white raccoons hand sending a tingerling sensation though her body causing her to clasp to the floor.

* * *

**Lily's dream**

Bethany slowly awoke to find herself on a white bed of ash. "What the?" She got up and turned seeing the landscape was nothing but a destroyed land. Buildings surrounded the scape as ash floated from the sky. "Where am I?"

_"You are in a different dimension that I created though Lily's dream. Right now you are witnessing Lily's mind, her personality." _

"Personality? But this place is just a dead land." Bethany was then picked up from behind by Lily. "Yeah thanks for pointing that out." The older raccoon chucked her to the floor and walked back a bit. "Would someone please tell me what the hell is happening!?" Both Lucem and Lily looked at each other. "Do I have to tell her?" She sighed and turned to Bethany who picked herself up of the floor. "Look pay attention I'm only gonna say this once got it?"

"Ok what's happening?"

"This world is the only place I can talk to her. And by the way she's called Lucem." The white raccoon gave a wave to her and she did so back. "We met two years ago telling me to help stop something called Clocklord and again I don't know what to do neither does she."

"You mentioned this back a Yuvin's house but Trevor didn't believe you."

"What and you did." Bethany nodded with a weak smile. "It sounded crazy but I know you or at least I did know you."

"Anyway after the event which scared and blinded my left eye I decide to changed my name. After that day I would be no longer the little girl who was care free because that girl wouldn't be able to stop her."

"Stop who?"

"Shade." Lucem walked forward. _"I'll handle this part. You see I along with your father, mother, Rivia, Kyle, Bentley, Murray, and Penelope and several others came from a different dimension. I sent the spirits of your family and friends into the bodies of their other self's, their memories where still there just covered by the new memories that the original versions of their selves have."_

"And this Shade who is she?"

_"She was a part of me, she was sent into this dimension to keep all of you safe but before she was sent into it Clocklord corrupted her turning her into a dark being who's only goal is to bring back Clocklord."_

"Wait so you are her but from a different dimension? My brain just melted." Lucem giggled and walked to the side. _"You'll get use to the story don't you worry. For now though I like this idea."_

"What idea?" The white raccoon turned to Lily with a cunning smile. _"Her here,.How many friends do you have?"_

"Y-your not serous are you!?" She nodded and turned to Bethany. _"It's time to expand Lily you can not fight alone. In battle when one fights alone he must to the death. But when one fight with others they can save you from the killing blow."_

"What you think they can help? I have spent the last two years training to stop Shade and you think they can do anything!?"

"Maybe I can speak for myself thank you." Bethany walked to the Lucem. "Is this why she's been acting strangely? All this time trying to stop this Shade."

_"I did not tell her to act like this. This is her own desition she had made. And as I said before I would be happy to have you help us along with others." _Bethany nodded with the trade Cooper smile shaking the white raccoons hand. "I'd be happy to help."

_"Good this marks a new day in which we defeat Clocklord and his puppet." _But as she stepped back she began to glow shocking Bethany. "What's happening?"

_"My time is up. You see I only have a short time to talk to Lily but from the look of it when more then one is in this dimension it drains my time even more. No matter I know both of you can defet it and with the help of others." _She shun brightly and vanished, leaving the two raccoons alone. "Wow I never would have thought anything like this could be possible."

"And that is why I changed." Bethany turned to Lily who stood looking down at the destroyed buildings below. "I throw away my childish nature and began training to fight Shade. I couldn't be to kind but I couldn't let my emotions cloud my judgment so I decided. On that very day I would change my identity, I will forget my kindness and replace it will nothing but emptiness." The younger raccoon moved forward to her older cousin. "But that no way to live. Forgetting the way you are is... It's just not right!"

"And do you have any better ideas!?" Bethany stood in the wastes of ash, her mind went blank. "I have tried to think of an answer but I can't there is no answer the only way to stop it and Shade is to forget ourselves and fight without emotions!" Lily was caught off guard when she heard a laugh from behind.

_"Bravo little Lily but do you always like to pass your philosophy onto others in such a poor way?"_

"Who's that?" The raccoon began to growl seeing the dark raccoon. "That's Shade." The dark raccoon smiled down at the two and put her attention onto the younger raccoon. _"Well, well what do we have here? It seemed fitting to see another here in the desolate wastes of her mind. I was starting to get bored just talking with her."_

"SHUT UP!" Lily turned to Bethany as Shade began to chuck . "Don't listen to a word she says it will just put doubt into you."

"What like you?" Lily turned surprised by Bethany's words. "What did you say!?"

"Look at you back then you never cared about what anyone said. But looking at you with her, she makes one comment and you get angry what happened to you!?" Shade began laughing grabbing the twos attention.

_"Oh she's good, you should listen to her Lily she seems to know more then even you at this moment." _

"I said SHUT UP!"

"Your letting no one in, yet your letting only one thing out." The older raccoon looked to her. "What? What is it I'm letting out!?" But Bethany shooked her head, stepping backwards and turned. "If I tell you how are you gonna help yourself deal with the problem." Lily began growling but calmed herself "This is something only you have to figure out." Lily turned to the ominous dark raccoon on the ashy hill above them sitting on what looks like a throne made out of bones. "Why are you here!? Of all the place to go why come here!?" Shade grinned and her eyes changed to deep red.

_"If one demands. One will get no answer." _She knew the raccoon was toying with her and asked again calmly. "Why are you here?"

_"You should know why I'm here, it is you who summoned me." _Lily shooked her head angrily. "That's a lie I never summoned you!"

_"It was no you who summoned me but a part off you who did." _Lily stepped forward with a confident look. "Why would I want to summon you Shade!?" However the raccoon began to laugh as her voice began to change into a deeper low pitch voice.

_"WHO SAID IT WAS SHADE YOU SUMMONED?" _Lily stepped backwards seeing the darkness around the raccoon taking on a life of it's own. "C-Clocklord!?"

"That's Clocklord!?" The darkness began to grow bigger taking the mechanical birds form.

_"I AM BUT A WHISPER IN THE DARK. A FEAR THAT ALL REPRESS. I AM THE DESTROYER OF DIMENSIONS. I AM CLOCKLORD!"_

The darkness drew closer to the girls, Lily turned to Bethany. "Let's end this dream quickly!"

"How do we do that?" Lily closed her eyes. "Just think about waking up, that what I do anyway." Bethany nodded and did the same.

_"Wake up. Wake up."_

_"Wake up. Wake up."_ Soon everything went black and the two returned.

_"DO NOT THINK YOU CAN ESCAPE SO EASILY! I SHALL BECOME WHOLE SOON AND THEN I WILL DESTROY ALL." _

* * *

The low pitched sound of Clocklord's laugh woke the two, both quickly standing. "Now do you see why I'm like I am." Bethany then proceed to the window. "I see only a shell of someone who use to be someone I know." She opened the window and jumped on the branch. "I'm gonna help in the fight but like Lucem said we need more people to help. We need Trevor to help."

"Trevor? What's he gonna do?"

"Nothing probably but the more we have the better chance we have dealing with the problem right." Lily walked to the window and watched as the younger raccoon climbed down the tree. "I'll gather both Trev and Derik to my house. I hope you'll be there too." She just nodded. "Good then I'll see you later, meet at the house around one o'clock." Bethany ran off while the older raccoon closed her window and moved away from her window. Lily sighed and walked to the chair, sitting on it and looking into the mirror. "This is what I hoped never happened. To involve people who may get hurt." But she brushed the feeling aside and opened her draw, putting the half-mask on her face. "Was what it said true though was I drew Clocklord too me? No point in dwelling on it now." The raccoon got up and opened her door. _"For now I got a bit of soul searching to do." _Once she closed her door behind her a mass of black fog coved the room with Shade forming in the centre.

_"Soon he will awake, my master shall look upon these worlds and judge them. But first I need a more and she will be the final key for his awakening."_

* * *

**A nice and short story, sorry it took a while to write. So who does Shade want and what is her plan? What's gonna happen between Bethany and Derik? And lastly will Lily overcome and find out who she truly is? All will hopefully be explained next time until then bye.**


	6. Soul searching

Lily walked down the stairs, walking past both her parents. "Where are you going?" She didn't concentrate on her father and continued to walk. "Out." before she reached the door Malcolm got off his seat, blocking her way. "What do you want now?"

"Both your mother and I have received word that a group of students where badly hurt. One of them said the person who attacked them was a raccoon who seem to been acting very aggressively and after that she wouldn't revel anymore information."

"Your point." Malcolm glared down at his child. "Did you hurt them Lily!?" She glared at her father giving him the answer he needed. "Why? What is wrong with you!? Why are you acting like this!" The younger raccoon then pushed him out the way and ran outside, from Malcolm's view he saw a girl who has became a mean spirited bitch. However Lily was bleeding inside as she hid her true feelings from the world.

From a distends Sly was watching the whole event pan out. "What gotten into her? I mean two years ago she was free spirited and well she not." Bentley and Murray turned to him. "She probably going though some difficult time Sly, we had the same problems growing up too you know." He shook his head. "No Bent this is different, it's like she not herself." He continued to watch her and noticed something. "Hey you mind if I go off quickly?" Both the hippo and turtle shook their head with Sly giving a thumbs up. He then quickly jumped out of the team van and ran off after Lily.

* * *

**The grotto**

Lily slowly walked into the grotto her father showed her, though they trained here many times she felt a strange warmth being in the grotto. She got to the leaves and walked though them, she gazed up though it was light the lights would glow with a beautiful shimmer like glass. Lily walked into the middle of the grotto and sat down on the hard rocky floor. _"How am I going to deal with this mess? I brought Beth into this and now both Trev and Derik are getting into the same mess with me. I...I wish I never had anything to do with this whole Clocklord ordeal." _Suddenly the raccoon heard a scattering in the trees, she looked up at the trees seeing nothing until she heard the same sound behind her. "Who there!? Come out!" She then felt a tap on her shoulder, quick she turned but saw nothing. _"Great if this turns out to be Shade I'm gonna go crazy." _Lily closed her eyes and tried to remember her training, she concentrated on the sound and then turned grabbing the culprits arm, opening her eyes only to be surprise by who it was.

"U...Uncle Sly?" The older raccoon grinned while Lily realised his arm. "Wow Lily I'm impressed. You've learned a lot over the years."

"My names... I-I don't even know that answer." Sly exasperation changed from happy to sad looking. "What's wrong?"

"I shouldn't tell you cause you tell mum and dad." He sat down on the grassy floor next to Lily. "It's ok I wont tell you parents promise."

"Well ok I guess. First can I ask you a hypothetical question. If you where told your the only one who could stop something and this something is really bad, so bad that it can destroy everything. And this something is making someone who was good do something bad and you have to stop this thing. Would you kill this person to stop this thing?" Sly began to ponder on the question and shook his head. "I can't really say to be honest."

"Ok fine say this thing had control over uncle Bentley or Murray and killing them would stop this thing would you?" The raccoon shook his head. "I wouldn't be able to do it. All my life I grew up with them they are my family. I would rather die then kill one of them." Lily's face turned into a more depressed face alarming Sly. "Urr did I say something wrong?"

"No it's just... You see the last two years I been training to stop this raccoon who been corrupted by something and basically I don't think I can stop her."

"What makes you think you can't stop her?"

"Well first she makes me angry and I can't think straight around her, secondly she shall we say buffed up by something making her more powerful." Sly could tell something was up in the way she was talking. "What do you mean? Come on you can trust me."

"This thing I was talking about before it's called Clocklord." Upon hearing the name something clicked in the raccoons mind, he fell on the floor holding his head. "Uncle Sly!?" Sly was on the ground for a few minutes until he got back up slowly looking around and turning too Lily. "Urr where am I?"

"Your in the grotto you know dads grotto." He looked at her and smiled grabbing Lily, picking her up. "Lily it's you it's really you!"

"Yes it is me you should know that Sly." He put her down. "What's been happening? Where am I anyway and where's Ghost?" Lily gave a confused look and recalled the name. "When you say "Ghost" you mean mum?"

"Yes where is she?"

"She's with dad."

"She's with Tennessee? How's that possible?"

"No she's with your brother Malcolm remember?" Sly shook his head. "This is so weird for one I don't have a brother. Wait what happened to Clocklord!?" Lily quickly went over everything from the years growing up and the dreams she's been experiencing along with the things Sly seems to have forgotten.

"Wait me and Carm are married and we have a little girl?"

"yep her names Bethany while uncle Kyle has a son called Trevor."

"Wow hey what happened to Julie?" Lily gave a sad look. "She killed herself. She was suffering from depression that's all I know anyway."

"Whoa everything is so weird here she was happy back in my dimension."

"That reminds me we need to talk to the others. Lets get going." Lily pulled Sly up and dragged him out of the forest.

* * *

**Sly's house**

Both Sly and Lily kept there distant from the house. "Ok let's go over this again. You need to act like nothings changed in other words you need to well."

"Have fun with Carmelita?"

"Yeah sure why not." Sly grinned delightfully as Lily signalled the raccoon to walk with her. They got to the house, Lily looked at Sly. "What?"

"This is your house you have the keys right." He ruffled though his trouser pockets and pulled the keys out. "Uh I hate these not my style." Sly then opened the door and was greeted to the fox. "Well hello their." Before Sly could come out with a witty line Carmelita pulled the raccoon in a kissed him. _"Well this beats the line I came up with." _

"Hey auntie Carm I need to talk with Sly upstairs."

"Ok have fun dear and don't forget todays our anniversary so I have a special surprise later." The fox winked at him causing Sly to sweat. "I um can't wait." She walked of giggling while Sly turned to Lily. "Ok how long is this gonna take cause this is the only chance I get an opportunity like this."

"Let's just get upstairs so you can met you daughter and remember to pretend you know her until I explain the problem." The two walked upstairs, Lily knocked on the door. "Hey Beth you in there I came early to discusses something."

"Sure come in." Lily opened the door to see both the raccoon and dingo sitting on the bed. "Hey what's Derik doing here?"

"I called him here same with Trevor but I guess he didn't get the message yet." Sly then moved past Lily looking at Bethany. "Hey dad what's going on?" Sly just stood there looking at the younger raccoon confusing her. "Uh dad?" Lily then quickly tapped the back of Sly's back alerting him. "Uncle Sly. Beth asked you a question." The raccoon snapped out, clearing his throat. "I uhh nothings wrong honey just wanted too... listen with you guys." Both the raccoon and dingo gave confused look. "Ok I guess..."

"It's ok Beth he knows."

"What! when?" Both the raccoons walked into the room, closing the door behind them. Lily sat on the chair facing Bethany's bed, she turned Sly who stood up. "Ok so what were you discussing?"

"I was gonna talk about the whole thing with Lucem but I wanted to wait until Trev gets here. But like I said he may not have got my message so I guess we better start until he gets here."

"Ok fine I'll start with the fact of we need somewhere better to talk about this."

"What's wrong with this room?"

"Well besides the fact that this is a small room and the fact we're dealing with a massive monster."

"Ok, ok I get the picture, for now this is the best place to be until we find a better place. So what are we gonna do about Clocklord?"

"What can you tell me about Clocklord." Bethany turned to her father and nodded, turning to Lily who sighed. "Clocklord is has somehow taken control off the raccoon called "Shade." From here he has used her to extend his plan of destroying everything." Sly silently listened to the conversation taking it all in even though he knew most of the truth.

An hour past as the group talked, Lily looked at her watch sighing. "I better get going. I'll talk to you later." She walked away from the two, Sly then got up and followed behind her. After gently closing the door he grabbed her shoulder from behind. "Ok so far I heard enough to know a lot has happened. What's happened to Shade?" Lily turned around, facing the raccoon and looking him in the eye. "She's being controlled by Clocklord." Sly just walked past her before stopping. "I'm gonna talk with the others later, hopefully I can jog their memories too. In the mean time it's best that we find a way to help Shade."

"You don't get it!" She turned to Sly who also turned to her. "There is no way to save her. She's been corrupted by Clocklord... He took her body and placed his spirit into her. She's no longer Shade just Clocklord pretending to be her." Sly tightened his fist and then turned again. "Always remember Lily." The raccoon turned to Sly who then made his way down the stairs. "There is always a way." The words rang inside her, Sly then walked down the stairs leaving a weak smile on the young raccoons face. _"In our darkest hours all we relied on is hope and yet what we're left with is hollow words." _Lily then saw Trevor walking up the stairs. "Hey where ya been?"

"I've been at home helping dad. And just so you know Beth told me about you, doesn't mean I don't forgive you for being a bitch."

"I understand and I'm sorry." But then two where side tracked when they heard talking coming from Bethany's room. "Sounds like Beth and Derik are have a chat, wana listen in?" The two then slowly crept to the door listening quietly to the conversation.

"You know Beth I feel like your the only one who understands me."

"Me too! I feel like we have a connection that no one else can feel." Lily began gaging in her head while Trevor listened with anticipation. Lily then silently opened the door a bit. Both the raccoon and the tiger then saw the two kissing sending a cold shiver down the raccoons spine and a sharp pain in the tigers heart. The two walked away, Lily walked down the stairs with a blank expression while Trevor gave a more depressed look.

_"Why do I feel so... Heart broken I mean I never cared about him. But I feel so empty."_

_"They kissed I-I can't believe it she love him." _

As both left the house they looked at each other seeing the pain they suffered. "So you do like her."

"And you like him." Lily looked away crossing her arms. "I don't, I... Oh I don't know I feel so helpless."

"Same here. No point know is there she loves him." Lily then grabbed the tigers hands. "Look Trev I don't know about me but you need to tell her how you feel. I mean have you even told her you like her?"

"N-no."

"Exactly, you need to tell her your real feelings. It's not to late."

"So you can do it too right." Lily looked down and sighed sadly. "I messed up big time, he wouldn't want me anyway. The looks he gave me in that room where hard enough to bare besides the looks he gave her." The tiger raised his hands out surprising the leopard. "Friends again?" Lily smiled and grabbed his hand shaking it. "Friends again." The two walked away and then walked home.

* * *

As she walked home Lily looked at the sky seeing the blazing orange filling it above. _"Wow it's beautiful." _She then turned and sighed sadly and then carried on walking.

Kyle walked on kicking a can on the ground till he reached the road, looking both ways he crossed but then stopped seeing Derik walking down the street. _"Must have came out off Beth's and taken the long way around." _He quickly ran to the side, hiding out off sit as he watch him walk inside his house. _"I can't believe he's with her." _He walked out and then carried on walking home.

Lily slowly walked on noticing something weird. On the sides of every wall seem to be a shadow which moves every time she walks down the street. She turned up too see if anyone was there but found nothing. "Weird could have sworn I saw... never mind." She turned around and continued to walk home.

The tiger then felt his pocket vibrate, he then quickly entered his pocket until he got his phone. He saw it was Bethany ringing which made him annoyed but he answered it.

"Yeah?"

_"Where the hell where you!?"_

"Oh I don't know probably watching you and that dingo asshole kissing!"

_"What's that got to do with you!?"_

"Nothing but then again it's always nothing with me. Cause you never really ask!"

_"What are you talking about!?"_

"Why don't you ask Lily she felt happy watching you and him locking lips." Trevor then hung up leaving Bethany confused. "What did he mean?" She then quickly searched Lily's number and called her.

Lily walked down the street close too the house until her phone rang. She then quickly answered.

"Hello?"

_"Lily what's going on? Trevor seemed angry and he said that both you and him saw me and Derik kissing."_

"Your point."

_"Look I just want to know what's going on?"_

"Let me think... Trevor sees you kiss another boy. Trevor gets mad and yells at you can you figure this out?"

_"Your telling me... Trevor likes me?" _

"Wow you finally get it! He's been moping for ages so go deal with it." Lily then hung up leaving Bethany along again. "Why doe every one keep doing that!?"

The raccoon finally made it to her home but stopped at the door. Her hand was frozen on the door handle but she couldn't move. _"W-what's happening I feel..." _She slowly broke down into tears. _"What's wrong with me? Why am I so sad?" _Lily then brushed the tears away and opened the door.

* * *

**Rivia's house**

Lily walked into the house still upset. Rivia ran too her daughter. "Lily where have you been I was worried sick."

"Get off me"

"W-what?"

"I said GET OFF ME!" She pushed her away and ran upstairs. "L-Lily?" The teenager ran into her room and slammed her door, she kicked her draw and threw her mask onto the bed. She then threw herself onto her bed next to the half mask and began weeping.

_"Why do I feel like this it doesn't make sence? I don't care about them being together and yet I feel... jealous."_

She turned herself around and starred at the ceiling. _"I choose to abandon my emotions and I can't do it. No matter how much I try I can't do it." _The raccoon then got up off the bed and noticed the room changed. "Huh where am I?"

_"You are inside the darkness. Where you have been for the last two years, you just haven't noticed it until now." _She turned to see Shade who was now sitting on the bed. "What do you mean?"

_"You tried to be heartless to abundant your feelings so you can achieve your goal but instead you became filled with one thing."_

"And that is?" Shade smiled, pointing at the raccoon. _"Anger and hate." _

"Why are you telling me this? I'm sure Clocklord wouldn't like me knowing all of this." Shade just laughed. _"Who said he was involved in this." _She vanshied into the darkness and left Lily alone. "So what I'm just left here what am I suppose to do?" Lily just walked around with no clue of where to go, she kept walking though the darkness until she stopped. "This is stupid. There's nothing here." She fell to the ground and starred at the dark floor. "Wait?" She saw a strange vision on the floor of Bethany. "What's this about."

_"I don't know what to do. I mean Lily said Trevor likes me but I don't know if I like him back."_

_"Hmpm like I care about her little debates."_

_"I wish you where here with me. You where the reason I have such a up beat personality. But when you change, becoming cold it made me question but once I found out the truth I started to believe in you again. Your family and my best friend." _A single tear dropped from the raccoons eye. "I forgot what it's like to be needed, to be cared for. I choose to throw away my emotions I didn't think about the others around me ." Lily then began to sink into the darkness. "I...I want to be with you Beth." The floor beamed with light and the raccoon fell though leaving the dark world behind.

_"So she's finally figured it out t__ook her time right. Out of curiosity when will she know the truth__?" _

_"Not until she finds the path." _

* * *

Lily woke up in her room and quickly got up. "I need to get to Bethany." She looked at her window and smiled, she quickly opened it and jumped out landing on the ground perfectly. "Now off to Bethany's." She ran down the street running as fast as she could.

* * *

**Sly's house**

Lily finaly made it and gazed up at Bethany's room. "Ok time to find a way up." She looked around the house and saw the drain pipe on the side. "Can always count on a drain pipe." She ran to the pipe, jumping onto to it and quickly climbing until she reached the window. _"Ok Bethany here I..." _She looked in the window. "Oh god." She realised she was at the wrong window and could see both Carmelita and Sly in bed with each other. _"Oh god I think I need a shower after this." _She shimmied along the wall till she reached Bethany's room.

Bethany sadly crawled up into a ball in her bed as she tried to sleep until she heard a tap at the window. "L-Lily!?" She got out off her bed, running to the window and open it letting her in. "Uh I feel dirty."

"Why that?"

"Don't ask I came to see you."

"But why?" Lily hugged her surprising her. "What are you doing!?"

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I was a complete bitch and I wish I could change so much of the past if it means I can be with you." Bethany gave a shocked look at her. "Y...You really mean that?"

"Your like a sister to me and I've been beyond horrible to you and everyone I just wish I could do something to change it all." The younger raccoon just grabbed her crying her eyes out. "Your back! That's all I could have ever want Lily!" Lily smiled and hugged her back. "Yeah I am back aren't I."

"Can I ask you something about Derik?"

"Go ahead." Bethany hesitated but took a deep breath. "Do... you love him?" Lily didn't know what to say, the silence was all Bethany needed to hear. "I'm so sorry Lily that explains why Trevor mention you."

"It's ok you and he look good together."

"Thanks Lily for understanding I just hope."

"Don't it's ok I put those feelings aside besides he pretty much doesn't like me anyway. I should get going it may be Sunday tomorrow but if I have to go into that dream world again then I better be at home."

"Good luck maybe I'll see you in there." Lily laughed while she climbed out the window. "Well I'll see you tomorrow." Lily jumped from the building to the ground and made a perfect landing. She ran home and preyed that her father or mother haven't realise she's gone.

"Welcome back Lily." A sound coming from Sly and Carmelita's room alerted the raccoon. "What's going on in there?"

* * *

The raccoon stood outside her home, she didn't know why but it felt hard to even walk in. _"What do I say? Would they even believe me?"_

"Why are you hesitating go for it." Lily turned to the side seeing a shadowy figure next to the tree outside the house. "Can't be... Vitalis?" The robotic raccoon walked to her with a smile. "Glad you remember me. I was hoping we'd talk but the years went by and my questions weren't answered."

"And what was your question?" She sighed and ruffled though her pocket taking out a shard glittering in the moonlight. "What is it?"

"I believe this is a piece of Clocklord, my hope is it's the dimension machine he has placed inside him. With this we can go home." Lily shook her head. "You can't go home not until we stop Clocklord." Vitalis turned with a surprised look. "I thought he'd come back but I put it in the back off my head. Please tell me what you know." Lily quickly went over everything she knew alarming Vitalis.

"This isn't good. Not one bit we need to stop him somehow. Got any ideas?"

"Not one I'm afraid. I guess it's best to wait until the time comes right." The robo raccoon walked slowly away and turned to the raccoon. "You know I've been watching you, how you became such a strong young woman. Now I see a strong but wise spirit. Take care off yourself Lily I'll keep in touch." She then ran off into the darkness leaving Lily to turn to her home, taking a deep breath she walked to the door and opened it.

* * *

She walked inside seeing both her parents sitting in the room, turning too her. "Mum, dad I." The leopard quickly got up and hugged her. "Where did you go!?"

"I went to uncle Sly house." Rivia pulled away from her, looking down at her face. "Y-you haven't got your mask on." Lily then felt her face and smiled for the first time in front of her parents. "I-I didn't even realise I must have forgotten." Lily then walked away from her mother and slowly walked towards Malcolm. "Daddy?" His ears pricked up upon hearing her say that word. "What did you call me?"

"I called you daddy." Malcolm arose from his seat and hugged the younger raccoon. "I missed you, we missed you."

"I promise I wont go away unless I have to." Rivia then walked into the kitchen and sighed a happy sigh.

"Well I never thought I'd see you like this old friend." The leopard turned, her face lit up with delight. "No way I thought you where traveling the world." Both Malcolm and Lily walked into the kitchen arm in arm but were surprise to see the guest sitting in the chair. "Mum who's this?"

"This Lily is an old friend who's been there for me since you where a baby." Rivia got up and walked to the guest. "Say hello to Neyla." The tiger raised her hand to the raccoon with a glowing smile. "Nice to meet you. It's been so long since the last we met, of course you where a little raccoon back them."

"So what where you doing all this time?" Neyla slowly drank her tea which Rivia gave her. Gently putting the cup down on the table she turned to the raccoon. "I've been studying artefacts' of the past, mostly around the Cooper line."

"You studied the Cooper family?" Neyla chuckled as Lily face glowed. "Well I don't know as much as you probably do but I've studied mostly a few Coopers. From Rioichi too Thaddeus I studied everything I could but strangely I could not find what I wanted." Lily curiosity grew upon hearing the tigers words. "Can I talk with you please?"

"Of course what do you want to talk about?"

"Not here in my room." Both her parents gave a concerned look at her. "Why not here honey?"

"It's ok Malcolm if she only wants too talk then let her." Malcolm grumbled as both the raccoon and tiger climbed up the stairs.

* * *

After closing the door Lily sat on the bed with Neyla standing up. "So what do you wish to talk about?"

"Do you know something called Clocklord?" She shooked her head but then she felt a sharp pain coursing though her head. "Uhh weird I-I feel like I know the name yet I never heard it before." The tiger pulled from her pocket a metal item which she gave to Lily. "Does this look familiar?" Upon looking at the item she felt a strange feeling like she would feel when she was in the dream world. "I... don't believe it this came from Clocklord. I don't know how but it must have." She left the metal piece on the bed however once she placed it on the bed it changed the colour turning it grey. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you Lily perhaps I'll might find something else."

"Where did you get this piece anyway?" Neyla began thinking but she gave a confused look. "I... I don't remember it's like I was just given it?" She shooked her head and turned to the door. "Well I better get going I have a lot to do. Until next time." Lily waved to her and sighed. After the door closed Lily got off the bed and began to think.

_"What could this mean? Neyla shows up, a friend to mum and if mum has a connection to Clocklord then does that mean she does too?" _Lily sighed and turned giving a shocked look upon seeing her bed has turned grey and misshapen. "What the hells going on!?" She looked at the bed seeing the item. However before she could do anything the grey darkness engulfed the room and Lily. "W-what's happening!?"

_"You know I can't tell if you being ignorant or stupid sometimes it's hard to tell." _Lily turned to her side seeing Shade at her window. "What is going on Shade!?"

_"You've been taken to the dimension wall. This is where you can... Go home or you can give yourself purpose." _Lily growled as the dark raccoon smile it was like a game too her. "What are you blabbering about purpose?" Shade walked though the window going outside. _"Have you ever wondered why you where chosen, why you have to "Save the world and every dimension?" Well this is your only chance. I wont judge you if you want to go home, after all the key is on the bed." _Lily turned seeing the metal object had changed from a piece of metal to a strange metal eye. "What is this, why did Neyla give me this!" Shade turned to the raccoon with a smile. _"She's a friend that aided me without realising it. The most important thing is never forget your friends are close Lily never forget them." _She then faded into a puff of black smoke, Lily turned to the metal eye her head said to go back home yet her heart said to do what Shade asked. "I can't believe I'm doing this. SHADE IF YOU CAN HEAR ME! WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO!?" Lily then was sent flying forward and fell to the ground, her body then began to sink into the floor as it changed into a black goo. "Uhh gross." She then sank into the darkness. "No, NOOO!"

* * *

She opened her eyes seeing she was standing on a road in broad daylight. "Uhh oook I would like to know how ending up in goo puts you here?" She looked around seeing the world was dull and grey like an old movie. "Where am I?" She then turned around again until she noticed something of at the distends. "That's the Eifel tower! So I'm still in Paris but where is everyone?" The streets where empty, no one was around at all. "Come to think off it I can't feel any wind. It's like everything stopped." With no ideas Lily made her way to the tower hoping to find someone who can help her.

**The Eifel tower**

The raccoon made it to the towers base but still there was no one around. Tired from the walk she sat on a nearby seat, still shaken by the experience awhile ago. "What's going on? One minute I'm in my room and then I sink into darkness and I'm here." She sighed sadly and got off the seat, she then felt a cold wind brushed against her. Knowing there was still no wind around she tilted her head to the side seeing the dark raccoon on the seat. _"Having fun?"_

"YOU! What did you do!?" Shade relaxed while laying on the seat. _"You are inside a dimensional wall."_

"What how's that possible?" Shade grinned and got up. _"You see there are three things within a dimensional wall. One the dream filter, this wall is only reachable inside a dream. Two time filter, this wall protects the dimensions time. And lastly the reality filter, in this one it stops all chaos being unleashed into other dimensions."_

"What do you mean?" The dark raccoon then skipped around the raccoon who watched her carefully.

_"You see if you where to change something it would effect other reality too. For instants if Bethany was the one who got burned the event would effectively hit the wall preventing any change from taking place in other worlds."_

"So your say this wall stops change from happening in other dimensions?" Shade smiled. _"Wow you have a brain never though I'd see the day. Anyway the wall indeed stops change. What would happen if an event that took place in one dimension where to happen in another?"_ Lily paused before giving her answer. "Reality would break?"

_"Exactly two of the same things should never happen in two separate dimensions, this usually means the walls of one dimension have broken corrupting the others with the exact same time, space, and future." _

"Wait what's all this got to do with me being inside this dimension wall thingy?" Shade began to laugh. _"Well only you can find that out." _She then vanished into the colourless air leaving Lily alone. _"For you are the only one who can fine your way out."_

"But I..." She then walked forward with no hope of knowing what she was meant to do until she noticed something on the floor where Shade stood before she vanished. "Is that a... flower?" She rushed to the flower on the ground, she then picked it up and gazed at the dull grey petals until it changed into a beautiful pink lily. "I-I remember these. They grow at the grotto." She then looked around until she found the road leading to the grotto. "This better lead toward answers cause I want to know the truth. I need to know the truth!" The raccoon placed the flower in her pocket and ran to the grotto.

* * *

**Hey everyone sorry it took so long to make this. I've been working on another story as well as this one but I promise that I'll be focusing on the next chapter and getting it done much sooner. I'm hope your enjoying the story so far cause it's gonna get better!**


	7. Fall of grace

**Forest grotto**

Lily finally made it to the forest but she sighed when she saw everything was the same. No colour, no wind, and still no people. "What was the point? I get one clue and it leads me to nothing." She then turned around still searching until she heard russerling inside the leaves leading to the Cooper grotto. "Please be someone other then Shade." She ventured inside to see the world looked completely different. There was colour, a gentle breeze was blowing onto the raccoon face. "T-this is so weird... What's going on?"

_"Well you tell me." _Lily turned seeing Shade laying on the grass relaxing. "Why did it have to be you."

_"Because you ask me to help you in your room remember?" _

"I didn't asked for help I just wanted to know what to do."

_"Exactly help."_ Lily grated her teeth getting fed up with the dark raccoon. "Look what's going on? One minute I was in a black and white world then next I'm here." Shade then sighed and got up of the floor. _"Well it could be that you've passed though a dimensional wall."_

"WHAT!? How's that possible I'm just."

_"An ordinary girl who happens to be related to me spiritually meaning she has the power to access the walls." _"Lily gazed at her hands. "So how do I do it? Is there some trick to going though walls or something?"

_"Nope all you have to do is wish you can go to that place which you did. You picked up the lily while thought about your home, it changed making you think the answers were at the grotto which then made you think about the grotto." _

"So you just think about the place. Is that what happened when I was inside the dark world, seeing Beth talking. It made me want to go to her then I woke up."

_"In a manner of speaking yes. The dark world your experiencing is actually the dream wall. Anyone can go there but it's hard to fully control, only people who have travelled in time or dimensions can actually see the dream wall, touch the dream wall, and lastly go though the wall."_

"The darkness is it something to do with this wall?" Shade giggled and vanished into black smoke then reappeared next to Lily. _"Your catching on quite fast. The darkness you see is actually artificial, the manifestation of one being soul who only lives to hate."_

"Your talking about Clocklord. How can it even do it?"

_"You see he has been corrupting the dream wall for some time. Absorbing it into himself compressing it until it becomes whole with Clocklord. When it's finished Clocklord will then break it and finally move on to then next wall."_

"How long has he been doing this for?"

_"Let's just say the wall is very weak by my guess he's been absorbing it for nearly... one thousand normal years."_

"One thousand how's that possible?"

_"Remember that dimension travel can be a tricky subject, it can have strange effect on objects and things. Clocklord may have been absorbing the wall when it learned to dimension travel. Maybe it's been doing it only recently it's unclear when on why it's doing it but I believe it's to power it's body."_

"It's body... wait! it's spirit is inside you leaving his body without life right?" Shade turned with a surprised grin. _"Go on."_

"Well if we travelled to the dimension it's in right now we can destroy it right?" The dark raccoon began to clap as she walked towards Lily. _"A cleaver idea with one problem."_

"And that is?"

_"You can not kill Clocklord by any means. Though it's spirit is gone the body can still repair without it, meaning with every hit you do the body will just repair whatever damage you did." _Lily just sighed as she flopped to the floor. _"But your close. Try extending that though a little outside the box or should I say the dimension."_

"What?" Lily turned to face the raccoon but she vanished into black smoke leaving her to think it out. "Ok so we can't kill Clocklord normally without it repairing itself. So what then?" She sat on the grassy ground and gazed up into the sky seeing the colours glitter in the sky. "Weird to see so much colour in one place, sure this is another dimension but..." Upon saying that she realised something. "Wait Shade said think outside the dimension... So I need to think of something that can destroy Clocklord without any effort. But what can stop something like that?" As she wondered a bright like caught Lily's eye, she turned seeing a circular gate in front of her. "What the!?"

_"This it your answer. To defeat Clocklord you need to find the impossible place. Where no one has ever been before."_ Lily walked slowly towards the gate seeing the light intensifying as she drew closer to it.

_"You must find a way to the centre of time space." _The raccoon stood next to the gate and touched it. A piercing light then scattered around her as it engulfed her. "What's happening!?" The gate along with Lily disappeared leaving Shade along inside the reality dimension wall.

_"You found your purpose. Please stop it before Clocklord destroys all of time, space, and eventually the multiple dimensional universe."_

* * *

Lily opened her eyes seeing she was back in her room, she turned to her bed seeing the metal shard was still sitting there. "I'm defiantly moving you." She picked it up and placed in inside the second draw. She sat down on the chair and looked in the mirror, she rubbed the scarring on her face and smiled. _"It's weird but I always wore the half mask to hide the scar, to hide the ugly side of me. But I couldn't hide the other ugly side of me, it began hurt people. I'm not afraid anymore I'm gonna be myself and if people don't like it then it's their problem." _Lily got of the chair and smiled in the mirror, she then opened the door and walked down the stairs. As she walked down the stairs she noticed the lights where off, finding this strange Lily began to look around the living room seeing no sign of her mother or father.

"Mum, dad where are you?" She turned to the clock on the wall seeing it was nine o'clock. "Weird they couldn't have gone to sleep yet. Maybe dads out tonight on a heist but where's mum?" She proceed inside watching for anything in particular until a sound came from the kitchen. "Mum is that you? What's going on?" Lily flicked the light on seeing her mother tied up. "Mum! What happened?" She quickly took the rope from the leopards mouth then proceed to untie her. "Lily run it's a trap!"

"What!?" But before she knew anything she was hit from behind, knocked out cold.

* * *

**Unknown**

Lily slowly began to wake up in a dark dank place, she could barely see anything. She then noticed she was tied up herself.

"What's going on. Where am I?" Lily then heard a door opening from behind causing a little light to brighten up the small room. "Who are you? What have you done to my mother!?" However the masked crook did not speak he only punched Lily she then turned, spitting a little blood on the floor. "So you only speak with your hands huh? I'm going to ask one last time. Where is my mother!?"

"She's beyond your reach now girl."

"What do you mean!?" The unknown crook walked away softly laughing to himself. "I don't pay to ask I just do." He closed the door leaving Lily in total darkness. "Why is this happening?" The memories began to cause though the raccoon remembering the events that took place two years ago. A tear fell from her eye. "Why am I so weak. I can't even save my own mother without getting captured."

_"Remember there is always a way." _

The ghostly voice of her fathers words rang in her mind. Lily took a deep breath in and out and began to look around the room, though it was dark she could see a knife on the nearby shelf. "There is always a way just like dad says." She then shimmed her way towards the shelf and bashed against the wall until the knife fell to the ground next to her. "Great." She then used her feet to pick up the knife, then used it too cut herself loss. She brushed herself off and looked around. "Ah ha. An air vent I can at least look around for mum." She pulled the vent off and entered it, closing it back up and crawled inside.

* * *

Lily took her time going though the vents. She could hear laughter coming from the vent near her. She crawled to it seeing a rabbit, kangaroo, and a crocodile wearing black suits. _"Black suits didn't the Blackmarket gang use to wear those suits? Don't tell me Artair's behind this!" _She crawled closer to the vent and began to listen to the conversation.

"Can't believe it was that easy to capture her I mean Artair makes it sound like she's the most threatening thing in the world ha, ha, ha!"

"Yeah wonder what he gonna do to her?"

"I heard he's gonna kill her then stuff her, then place her in his office as a monument to his victory over the Meadows." Lily gulped and moved away from the vent. "Gotta find mum, fast." The thought went though her mind seeing the bear killing her mother which made her move much faster.

Lily finally made it to a small room somewhat like hers but more gory. Blood was smeared on the walls while the floor was covered in dry blood left there by who know what. The room had a strange rusty smell to it causing the raccoon to gag a bit. Lily then saw Rivia tied hanging upside down from the roof. "Mum!?"

"Lily is that you?"

"It is, don't worry I'll get you down." The raccoon then ran to the side, braking the chain sending the leopard falling to the floor. "Sorry mum it was the only way."

"That's ok I'm gonna be sore but nothing to worry about."

"Is dad here too?" Rivia shooked her head. "They only wanted me and you." Lily shooked her head sadly. "How are we gonna get out. I mean I came though the vents, your too big to get in there."

"Don't worry about me I'll find a way out. Your mother wasn't just any old person in her youth you know." Rivia pointed to the vent. "Hurry I'll meet you outside the exit." She ran to the vent and turned giving her mother a sad look. "Don't you even say it Lil. I'm gonna be alright." She nodded and entered into the vent. The leopard then walked to the door and opened it seeing the bear standing outside.

"How touching but I'm in no mood for games." He then punched her knocking her out.

While Lily crawled though the vents she heard the message though the speakers.

_"I know your out there Lily I know you can hear me. I just though you'd like to know I have your mother."_

"Mum!" The bear smiled delightfully as he held the microphone imagining the fear on the raccoons face.

_"If you ever want to see her again then I suggest you give yourself up and let my men escort you to me."_

Lily grunted and then sighed, she then kicked a nearby vent and showed herself to the guards. "Just take me to Artair's I wont do anything."

"Damn right you wont." The bull pushed her down the halls until they came to a lift. The single guard and Lily entered the lift and while the two stood there Lily turned to him "While I'm captured you might as well tell me what's going on. I mean I gonna die anyway might as well rub it in my face."

"Like that's gonna work on me raccoon." The door opened and the bull moved her along until they reached the end off the hallway. "We're here." The door's opened and the leopard was on the ground. "Mother!" Before she could do anything the guard grabbed her. "I don't think so bitch!" The bull punched her, her cries alerted the leopard who then got up attempting to strike at the bull. "You can't do jack shit to me. Go ahead, try." He began to step on Lily, her cries made Rivia more agitated. "Stop it! She's just a child!"

"Like I care." But before he could do anymore damage the bull was sent flying to the wall. His body filled with shotgun pellets. "B.. But why?" The bear walked to the bull. Artair's then knelled on the floor to the bull looking him in the eyes and smiled before pointing the gun at his head. "Why should you have all the fun." Artair's pulled the trigger sending blood flying onto his face. The sight sent a cold shiver down Lily's spine however the leopard just looked at the bear starring at the site of the dead bull and Artair's standing over him. "But he was one off your men."

"Like I said before young Lily. What use are pawns when they can be replaced." Artair's turned to see Rivia in pain on the floor She grabbed her head as she grunted. "What the hells wrong with you Rivia!?" He walked to her but was taken by surprise when she quickly got up, grabbed him, slamming him to the ground. "MY NAME IS GHOST!"

"What are you talking about!?" The bear moved towards the leopard pointing the gun at her, however Rivia turned and punched him in the gut causing him to drop the weapon. Lily got onto her feet and pondered. _"Sly remembered who he was when I mention Clocklord and stuff but if mum remembered who she before. I wonder how she even remembered?" _The leopard then grabbed the shotgun from the bears feet and aimed it at him. "Now let's not do anything too hasty."

"What like killing innocents who don't deserve to live!?" Rivia then pointed the gun at her chains and shot them off. She then fired three shot and then chucked the gun to the side. "Now let's see you without a weapon Artair." The bear growled as the leopard got into a fighting stance, she turned to the raccoon on the side. "Run! Now!" The bear took the first strike while Rivia wasn't looking. The leopard turned to see the raccoon still there "Why are you still here Lily? I told you to run!"

"I can't I wont!" The leopard got up and punched the bear right in the face, then quickly kicked him in the gut. "Give me one good reason why you haven't run and another for disobeying me!" Lily looked at the floor, her eyes began to water as she turned to her mother. "Because, because I wont abundant you and I'm sorry for the way I've been acting!" Rivia turn to her daughter and gave a small smile, she shooked her head and then turned to the bear on the floor who slowly got up. "It's funny really. You and Desmond are alike somewhat. Your personality, your ascent, even the way you hurt people physically and mentally. But then again Desmond didn't count on my family killing him, this end now!"

"Indeed it does." The two ran at each other before Artair's revealed the knife from his hand which plunged into the leopards chest. "NO MUM!" Rivia slowly walked backwards and pulled the knife out of her chest, holding the wound trying to keep the blood from coming out. "Desmond taught me well. The best places to attack and the weak points on a target including the heart. You'll be dead in a few minutes so I'll take my time before killing your daughter."

"No! L-leave her alone!" The leopard stumbled forward but clasped to the floor. Artair laughed watching the leopard in pain gave him satisfaction until he heard a noise right next to him. "What on earth is th-" Before he could finish his sentence a loud bang echoed in the room. The bear looked down at his chest seeing several bullets wounds. "B-but... How!?" Lily walked forward with the gun tossed aside and aimed it at him. "I guess Desmond didn't teach you enough to know mum used about five shots leaving one left enough to kill you."

"LILY!" The raccoon turned to her mother who chucked the knife to her. Lily then quickly caught the knife, turned plunging the blade into the bear chest causing him to lose his breath. "How does it feel to have life taken from you? To have everything taken from you at a moment? It's funny the day you burned me was the day I changed into someone else until I changed back into me. I dream about that very day, scared the crap out of me thinking about it until I realised at this very moment. Your nothing, you'll never be anything because I killed you!" Lily the pushed the knife even harder into the bear causing him more pain. "Lily stop it!" The raccoon turned to Rivia who was still on the floor. "Listen I felt the same way about Desmond when I was young but you have to put it in the past! If you don't you'll regret every moment like I did. Sure Desmond deserved to die but it cost me so much, your grandmother died to save me, I never forgave myself for that so please be at peace with yourself!" Lily turned to the bear and closed her eyes before taking the knife out of him. She turned around and began walking to her mother before Artair's softly laugh. "You Meadow's and Cooper's are all the same. To soft to finish the job." Lily stopped and turned quickly throwing the knife hitting the bear directly in the throat. Artair hands grabbed his neck as the blood ran down his neck while Lily looked at him before turning, walking to Rivia. "I may be weak, I may never finish the job. But never bring my family into this!" Artair then let out one last painful cough and stopped breathing, his body went limp as the blood continued to spill from his neck.

Lily then stood above the leopard who kept hold of the stab wound. "Stupid question but you ok?" Rivia smiled and nodded. "This is nothing..." She coughed up a cloud of blood alerting the raccoon. "We need to take you to a hospital now!" But as Lily grabbed Rivia the leopard pulled her arm away. "No point I'm gonna die soon."

"Don't say that mum your not gonna die!" Lily looked down at her mother as she held her. "It's nice to finally meet you Lily. I'm sorry it had to be the only time though." The leopard coughed up a little blood again but she still smiled. "Mum please don't go. Don't leave me I wanted to tell you the reason why I was like what I was." Rivia placed her hand on daughters face as tear drops fell onto her. "Do not weep for me Lily you must be strong."

"But I don't want to be strong anymore I want you!" Slowly the blood pooled around the two as Rivia's time was running out. "Funny I thought I'd die in one big bang but fate choose this. Lily please you must stop Clocklord." She looked down to her. "How do you know?"

"I had the same dreams as well. All this time I could have took the burden but I choose not to. This was the one regret I wish I'd took." The leopard grabbed a hold off her daughters hand tightly squeezing it. "Find a way into the centre of time space. Stop the cycle before it can begin again." Rivia placed her hand on her daughters face. "I promise mum I'll find it." Rivia turned to the light above then and smiled before turning to Lily. "Please don't remember me as Rivia Meadow or Cooper but as your mother who's name is... Ghost." Her arm then fell onto the hard metal ground sending a loud thud though the raccoon's head. "Mum? Mother, mother please!" She held her close preying that she would wake up. "You can't die, there's no way you would die please wake up!" Lily sat on the ground for a few minutes holding the body in her arms, tears slowly dripped from her face onto the leopards. "Lily!" The raccoon turned seeing her father running in holding his cane.

"Lily what happened?" She turned to her father who looked around the room seeing Artair's dead and then to his horror his wife.

"Mums dead! She's dead!" She ran to her father who held him tightly. He stood motionlessly staring at the body, the thought couldn't sink in that Rivia was gone. He took a deep breath and moved Lily to the side, then walked to the body picking her up. He stood up and walked with Lily to the door remaining silent. The guards surrounded the two however Malcolm didn't show any emotion as he placed the dead leopard on the hard metal ground. "For the honour of Desmond and the Black Market! For the Rising Boars!"

"My wife killed you boss!" The raccoon got up, turning around with hate in his eyes. "She killed the boar and that bear. I'm giving you only one chance to walk away as I'm not in the best mood." However the men all got in a battle stance, the raccoon looked down shaking his head. "I warned you, but you had to persist!" Malcolm the clutched the cane that was on his back and ran at the first guard who was knocked down with a mighty crash, he laid on the ground not moving a muscle. "Take him down!" The raccoon then turned chucking the cane in the air distracting the guards. "What's he doing!?" Before they knew it the raccoon punched the second guard down and then kicked the third. The fourth guard then prepared to take him down until the cane flew down in which Malcolm caught, turning around and hitting the rabbit, sending him flying. "You only brought this on yourselves." While Malcolm placed the cane back and walked to Rivia's body Lily glazed in astonishment by what she witness. _"Wow I never seen dad so angry nor have I ever seen him so nimble. He took down four of Artair's men in a few seconds. If it was me alone I would probably been taken down quit easily."_

The young raccoon then ran to her father and gazed at him as they walked. "H-how did you do all that?"

"Drop it Lily please."

"But."

"I SAID DROP IT!" Lily went silent and ran of in front getting the lift. The lift came quickly as the raccoons entered inside. They finally reached the top and the area was quiet, no guards where around. Malcolm didn't seem to care anymore about stealth and cared on walking. "Dad what are you doing! If you get caught."

"What are these thugs gonna do!?" Lily then went silent again and sighed. _"Wow he's really sad... But shouldn't I be the same? I mean I feel something but at the same time nothing."_ A sound alerted the raccoon causing her to run off till she found the souse. "Dad?" The raccoon was kicking a door trying to open it with little effete. "Let me do that."

"Don't worry I got this." He continued to kick with no successes. "Please just stand back." The older raccoon sighed and walked to the side, he watch as Lily took a good run and jumped-kicked the door slamming it open. "Good work." Malcolm then walked though the door followed by Lily who closed the door. She turned to see they where outside near the beach. "Are we on some dock?"

"This is around the area you where last imprisoned two years ago." Lily then placed her hand on her scarred face and sighed. "Well let's stopped thinking about that and get home." Malcolm nodded and the two began their walk home as they vanished into the night.

* * *

**One month later**

After finding out the tragic news about Rivia's death the whole gang gave their support to both Malcolm and Lily. A funeral was held in the church nearby in which the gang turned up too. Lily and Malcolm remanded at home until the car arrived for them. "Dad it's ok I rather go with uncle Sly and the others."

"And your mother would want you to go with us to her own funeral wouldn't she." Lily looked to the floor and nodded. "Look it's gonna be a difficult day for everyone so be strong understand?" Lily nodded while the two walked to her room. He looked down seeing a mask placed on Lily's dresser. "Isn't this?"

"Mums. Yes I found it going though her things and well I wana wear it in memory of her." Malcolm picked the mask up and turned to Lily, he gently placed it on her face. "You remind me of you mother so much. She had so much determination, it drove her to do so many things. She would have took a bullet for me or Sly if she knew it save use, when I tell her to stay put she'd ignore me and go. She was so... young at the time we first met."

"Tell me about it." The older raccoon the sighed and sat down. "Well I'm pretty sure you mother told you about her past with the whole Black Market gang stuff." Lily nodded. "Well we met just before Sly devised this plan to get into the Cooper vault. Madness I thought but anyway. We found Murray and then before we moved on Sly heard of a display in the museum in Paris, a artefact from a family of thieves after hearing that he thought it was the Cooper family until of course we found your mother."

"What was she like?"

"Well she wasn't like she was before, she was quite playful. She refused to be truthful to us until later on. But during those few day's we grew close until the day we travelled to India to recover the Meadow artefact... The Scorpion tail, but Artair's broke it. Your mother was broken up by that but of course she was more concerned about you."

"Back to the story."

"Ok, ok. When we got there and travelled to the shrine of you ancestor but we where found by Desmond the leader of the Black Market gang. We fought a gruelling battle but nothing could stop him it seemed until your uncle rescued your mother. During those days they had code names. "Ghost" was your mothers, "Spectre" was your uncles.

"Why was that dad?"

"Well your mother said it was to keep out of site. If Desmond found ever one of them he would have killed them." Malcolm then got of the bed and turned to Lily. "And that's the story of you mother and how I met her."

"You didn't tell me the full story though!" The older raccoon smiled and raised his hand out to her. "Maybe some other time." Lily then grabbed his hand, pulling her up of the bed, the older raccoon then walked to the door and stopped. "Lily... I want you to know that."

"It's ok dad I understand." Malcolm then walked away leaving the raccoon alone. _"Wow that sucks." _Lily closed her door and turned to see Shade in the centre of the room. "What are you doing here?"

_"What I can't make house calls now."_

"You haven't even seen me for a month same as Lucem."

_"Ah that boring old Lucem always saying do this do that. Can't you look on the bright side of things?"_

Lily then walked to the bed and sat back down. "That's the weird thing. When mum died I felt sad yet afterwards there was nothing like... I had no emotion."

_"Hmm lets see Ghost dies, you feel nothing. Doesn't this sound familiar?" _

"What do you mean?" Shade got of the bed and turned around. _"Your changing, and not for the better."_

"What's that suppose to MEAN!" Lily then got of the bed and suddenly realised something. "I'm angry, I feel this anger and hate. What's going on, what's happening to me!?"

_"I'm afraid it's time." _Shade then turned and opened a dark portal in the room. "What are you doing." She turned to the raccoon. _"I'm afraid that your spirit has been corrupted by Clocklord. And if I have to judge I'd say you'll have little time before your mind becomes beyond your control."_ Lily stepped forward, her chest began to hurt. She quickly grabbed hold of her chest and fell to her knees in pain. "Why is this happening!?"

_"You have let anger consume you and Clocklord found you in a sence." _

"Wait you mean what happened with Artair's don't you? That was a month ago, how can he even be doing this!?"

_"It does not matter. You could have let him go and helped your mother, instead you choose to kill him. You let your anger control you, Clocklord took advantage. Soon your mind will belong to him." _Shade then began to walk slowly into the portal. "WAIT!" She stopped and turned her head. "Please there has to be a way to stop this. There just has to be!" The dark raccoon shooked her head and walked to the young raccoon, picking her up of the floor. "W-where are we going?"

_"A place where you'll be safe, but only for awhile." _The two then entered inside the portal and as they went though it closed quickly, Malcolm then opened the door seeing Lily had disappeared. "Lily? Where'd you go?"

_"Shhh it's ok let you emotions show." _Malcolm turned seeing shadowy figure next to him "Who the hell, what are you!?"

_"I'm the one who will make your problems vanish. And it's all thanks too your daughter." _As quickly as it appeared the shadowy figure went though Malcolm and vanished leaving the raccoon confused. "W-what's going on?" He noticed he was wearing a suit and rummage though his pockets for clues. The raccoon then pulled out a letter, he began reading it and then dropped it on the floor. "What's going on?" He then ran downstairs and outside seeing the car was parked outside. "Mr Cooper we're ready."

"Y-yes of course." Malcolm then entered the car and was driven to the church with one thought in his mind. _"When did you die Rivia, why don't I feel anything?" _

The shadow appeared in the house picking up the note. _"Pitiful creatures remose will only drive some, but where did you go little Lily?" _The shadows parted revealing the raccoon. _"Soon I will have enough strength to become myself again and then this body will become much more then it can ever be. Soon Clocklord will be reborn and I will destroy this dimension and then the next and eventually I find the centre of time space." _The shadows then wrapped around the raccoon again and then she vanished. _"Soon little Lily you'll be my next puppet ha, ha, ha!"_

* * *

**That took longer then I expected. Sorry it took so long to make this every time I want to make a chapter really fast something decided to break or something. Anyway thank you for you patience and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. **


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